Leadership change must bring progress for ferry workers

Nicolas Jimenez’s departure as BC Ferries president and CEO comes as our members have spent more than a year waiting for bargaining to deliver a new collective agreement.

We hope this change brings a more constructive approach and helps us reach a fair agreement sooner.

Keeping skilled, experienced workers at BC Ferries means offering wages that keep pace with the cost of living and working conditions that make people want to stay. That matters to everyone who depends on our ferries.

We need a CEO with real maritime experience, someone who understands ferry operations, respects the skills and expertise of the people doing the work and can build a constructive relationship with their union.

New leadership should also prioritize investment in B.C., from building and repairing our vessels to recycling them at the end of their service. Our ferry system should support skilled jobs and strengthen our marine industry here at home.

But changing the CEO won’t fix our ferry system on its own.

Responsibility for BC Ferries is spread across the provincial government, the BC Ferry Authority, the company’s board and the ferry commissioner. For workers and passengers, it can be hard to know who makes the decisions and who answers for them.

The incoming government has promised greater accountability at BC Ferries. This is an opportunity to clarify those responsibilities and address the underlying problems, with ferry workers at the table.

Our priorities remain: a fair agreement, safe workplaces and safe, reliable ferry service that keeps our communities connected and our provincial economy growing.