Entries by Rachel Garrick

Bargaining FAQ

  How long does bargaining take? There’s no set timeline. Some rounds wrap up in a few months. Others take longer. It depends on how far apart the two sides are, how much progress we make at the table, and how willing the employer is to bargain in good faith. We’ll go article by article, […]

Learn the facts

1. We CAN build them here. Canada has the skilled workers, shipyards and suppliers to build ferries at home. Seaspan alone contributes $4.3 billion to B.C.’s GDP. That’s money for groceries, rent, tools, kids’ sports. Not shipped overseas. Learn more from BC Building Trades. 2. No Canadian bids? Not quite. Two Canadian shipyards pre-qualified, but […]

Why invest in spin when you could invest in service?

BC Ferries moves 22 million passengers and 9 million vehicles a year, operates 37 vessels across 25 routes and employs more than 4,500 people across the province. On paper, that size might justify a substantial management team. But the scale and growth of BC Ferries’ corporate structure raise questions. Since 2022, the company has added […]

BC Ferries cuts Salt Spring out of homeport plan

BC Ferries has confirmed both new Island-class vessels for Route 6 will be homeported in Crofton, not Vesuvius Bay.  We strongly oppose this decision. Crews who live on Salt Spring will be forced into long commutes or relocation, and the island’s emergency response capacity will take a hit. “This isn’t better for our members or […]

Union hall closed for B.C. Day

The union office will be closed Monday, August 5 for the B.C. Day holiday. We’ll reopen Tuesday morning. We know this isn’t a long weekend for most of our members. While others are enjoying the break, you’ll be out there doing some of the hardest work in the system, moving thousands of people, handling emergencies, […]

Don’t shrug it off. Report it.

A few weeks ago, two high-profile incidents of violence against ferry workers made the news. But we know that’s just the tip of the iceberg. On the Spirit of British Columbia, two crew members were assaulted. On the Queen of Cumberland, a passenger with a sledgehammer was arrested at docking. These events made headlines, but […]

Ferry terminal upgrades should build local jobs too

When we build  ferry terminals or public infrastructure, every public dollar we spend should build our economy. Canadian steel supports thousands of good-paying union jobs (up to 120,000 direct and indirect nationwide). It meets higher environmental and labour standards than imported steel. It keeps our dollars circulating in our communities instead of shipping them overseas. […]

BC Ferries says the decision is final. We say Salt Spring deserves better.

At a recent community forum, BC Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez made it clear that the plan to homeport both new Route 6 vessels in Crofton is a done deal. This move will remove all vessel-based jobs from the island, adding a two-hour commute for ferry workers. It will force some families to relocate. It will […]