Ferry workers' morale sinking

February 16, 2012

"It is abundantly clear employee morale is on a steady decline," says Brett Joyce from the BC Ferry & Marine Workers' Union.

The union claims a recent safety report produced by BC Ferries and the independent report from Ferry Commissioner Gord McAtee have both failed to address a lot of the workers' concerns.

"That comes back down to how our members are feeling about their jobs," Joyce explains. "Our members don't have the opportunity to provide the level of service that they'd want because of the changes that are taking place and financial cutbacks."

More than 300 union members staff the ferry routes around the Comox Valley, Campbell River and Powell River.

Joyce says they're always pushing for more support from BC Ferries to do their best for the community.

"Let's look at what's going on right now with the Queen of Burnaby. [It] broke down and I'm not saying the company hasn't worked hard at that, but they're asking, at this specific time, for all those extras from our members that under different circumstances, our members would have to fight to get."

Another issue weighing heavily on ferry workers is the BC Ferries policy of excluding senior officers from the union.

"There are increasing concerns being raised by our members that the Company's insistence on continuing with exclusions will result in less effective and lower-certified managers in high-ranking shipboard positions," Joyce explains. "That's really reduced the morale significantly, because not only is it seen that the company is trying to reduce the union to break the union, not that I'm saying they are but that's how it's seen by our members, but it also reduces the crew cohesiveness."