Marine work is still one of the most male-dominated sectors globally. The International Maritime Organization estimates women make up about 1 per cent of the world’s seafarers. In Canada, women represent roughly 25 percent of the overall marine transportation workforce, but only about 3 to 7 percent of navigation, deck and marine engineering roles.

In B.C., labour-market data shows about 87 percent of the marine workforce is male, with women concentrated in admin and support roles. In the tug and barge sector, companies like Seaspan and HaiSea Marine estimate women make up less than 1 percent of the labour pool.

Women remain under-represented in many of the highest-paid operational jobs at BC Ferries. Women make up about 35 percent of the overall workforce, but representation varies widely by department. Women account for 14 percent of deck officers and deck crew, 7.5 percent of engineering roles, and about 3 percent of trades positions..

Progress, visibility and pressure to change

There are visible milestones. In 2024, BC Ferries marked International Women’s Day with its first all-women crew aboard the Island Discovery on the Powell River to Texada Island route, filling every role on board, from master to engine room assistant.

Transport Canada has identified women’s participation in marine as a policy priority and works with the IMO Gender Equality Network to push to measure and improve representation.

With an estimated 19,000 new seafarers needed nationally over the next decade, recruitment is urgent. Canadian governments at all levels need to provide financial support for mariner education to increase the skilled seafarers in our maritime nation.

Culture and conditions still matter

Women working in engine rooms, trades and technical roles in B.C. have described exclusion, harassment and being told they do not belong.

Facilities and vessels built decades ago without proper change rooms, washrooms or privacy for women are not minor oversights. They send a message about who the workplace was designed for, and who it was not. There is an opportunity now to build new vessels and upgrade existing facilities.

Across the sector, women report pressure to outperform and navigate informal cultures  not built with them in mind. That is a retention issue, not just a recruitment issue.

A workforce crisis is also an opportunity

Nearly half of Canada’s marine workforce is expected to retire within the next decade. That demographic reality creates both risk and opportunity.

We must improve working conditions, culture and training pathways, to fill those roles and build a stronger, more inclusive marine sector that reflects the communities it serves.

This work is part of every union’s core purpose: building safe, respectful workplaces for everyone, facilities and equipment that meet the needs of all members, fair access to training and sea time and clear pathways into leadership roles.

On International Women’s Day, we recognize all the women in our union who keep our system running at the terminals, in our offices, on decks, in engine rooms, in catering, on the bridge and in trades and leadership.

 

Pink Shirt Day started in Nova Scotia in 2007, when two high school students bought and distributed pink shirts after a younger student was bullied for wearing one. What began as a small act of solidarity is now marked across Canada each February.

For unions, the message goes beyond kindness. It’s about dignity at work.

What is workplace bullying?

In B.C., employers are required under the Workers Compensation Act to prevent and address workplace bullying and harassment.

WorkSafeBC defines bullying and harassment as: any inappropriate conduct or comment by a person toward a worker that the person knew, or reasonably ought to have known, would cause that worker to be humiliated or intimidated.

It can include verbal aggression, personal attacks, threats or other behaviour that creates a hostile work environment. It does not include reasonable management action, such as performance feedback or discipline, when carried out in a respectful way.

Bullying doesn’t have to be loud to be harmful. Repeated undermining, exclusion or humiliation can take a real toll.

Why this matters in union workplaces

Every worker deserves a safe, respectful workplace. That includes protection from harassment, intimidation and retaliation.

Unions play a key role in:

• Enforcing collective agreement protections
• Ensuring complaints are taken seriously
• Supporting members through difficult situations
• Pushing employers to meet their legal obligations

Pink Shirt Day is a reminder that respect at work is not optional. It’s a standard.

What you can do

If you’re experiencing bullying or harassment:

• Document what’s happening, dates, times and witnesses
• Review your employer’s bullying and harassment policy
• Contact your shop steward or local president early
• If needed, file a formal complaint through the employer’s process

If you witness bullying:

• Support the person targeted
• Speak up if it’s safe to do so
• Report it

Strong workplaces are built when members look out for one another.

Pink Shirt Day is one day on the calendar. Building respectful, accountable workplaces is ongoing work.

 

This week has been a difficult one for ferry workers. Crews were deeply affected by the disappearance of a man who went overboard during a sailing in the Strait of Georgia.

We thank the marine and air search and rescue partners who assisted in the search, including the Canadian Coast Guard, Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue and federal air and naval partners.

Our thoughts are with the man’s family, and with the crews and first responders involved.

We can’t offer further details at this time. We will share updates as they become available.

If you’re a BC Ferries crew member who needs to talk to someone about this event, help is available through the Employee and Family Assistance Program.

Big thanks to Local 6 President Tony Goes for sharing these incredible shots. You’ve got a great eye Tony. We’re lucky to live and work in such a beautiful place. 🌅🌊