From lost stock to found hope: Phil’s story
I’ve been taking BC Ferries most of my adult life and always wondered how they work behind the scenes. When the chance came up to join the supply chain team, I jumped at it. It gave me a chance to see the inner workings of the system, how parts move, how repairs happen, how everything connects.
Most people don’t realize how much goes into getting a part from the warehouse to a vessel or terminal. It’s not just a box magically showing up. A shipment comes into receiving, we check and process it, then decide if it’s a stock order or a manual “999” order. Stock gets put away, while 999s go up front for a second check, boxing and shipping. Then we pick orders from the queue and get them ready to go. There are a lot of little steps that make it all work.
One of the things I’m proud of is mentoring other team members. I like passing on what I know and helping them figure things out. Another moment that stands out is when we reorganized the warehouse after our 2024 move. It was a mess and a lot of stock went missing. I spent time combing through racks and shelves, and it felt good to find and fix what was lost, especially when it was high-value stock.
The hardest part of the job is making sure orders go out on time. We try to be faster than Amazon, but sometimes the queue gets backed up. A tracking system would help a lot. Right now, we write orders down in a truck book by hand. Once something leaves the warehouse, we have no way to track it. If someone calls asking where their part is, we have to dig through the log. Most of the time it turns out the box is sitting on the vessel but hasn’t been put away, or one watch has it and the other doesn’t know. A more modern, computerized tracking system would make life a lot easier for everyone.
Being in the union has also been important to me. I’ve had the chance to be active in my local and support other members on the floor. Whether it’s mentoring or helping them navigate issues, I enjoy being there for people.
Outside of work, I’ve also spoken publicly about mental health. In July I volunteered at a jazz festival and won a guest spot on a podcast called Voice Power. I shared my own struggles and how I pulled myself out of a dark time. I said yes when the host asked if I wanted to share my personal email in the show notes because I wanted other men to know there’s hope. If I can get through it, so can they.
Mental health is something I care about deeply. I know we’re lucky in the warehouse not to face angry passengers the way crew do on vessels and at terminals, but I also know how much stress people in the whole fleet carry. I don’t ever want anyone to feel as low as I did, and if speaking up helps even one person, then it’s worth it. That same passion drives how I mentor at work: listening, supporting and making sure people don’t feel alone. If anyone needs to talk about their own struggles, I’m always willing to listen.
Phil Sacco 1st Vice President, Local 8
