An overtime work ban enacted by employees of WaterBridge Ferries is impacting ferry operations on the Arrow Lakes.
The job action began at midnight on September 28, after the BC General Employees’ Union, which represents 90 of WaterBridge’s employees, completed essential service negotiations with the BC Labour Board on Friday morning.
The BCGEU issued 72-hour strike notices to both WaterBridge and Western Pacific Marine on September 23.
As a result of the overtime ban, the following routes may be affected:
- Upper Arrow Lake Ferry – between Shelter Bay and Galena Bay
- Needles Ferry – between Fauquier and Needles
- Arrow Park Ferry – at the junction of Upper and Lower Arrow Lake
- Adams Lake Ferry – between Chase and Sorrento
The ferry schedules from Tuesday to Thursday are as follows:
Tuesday, October 1
- Upper Arrow Lake Ferry – between Shelter Bay and Galena Bay
All sailings from 5:00 to 15:00 cancelled. - Needles Ferry – between Fauquier and Needles
All sailings from 6:00 to 18:00 cancelled. - Arrow Park Ferry – at the junction of Upper and Lower Arrow Lake
Unaffected, provided there is no change in staffing. - Adams Lake Ferry – between Chase and Sorrento
Unaffected, provided there is no change in staffing.
Wednesday, October 2
- Upper Arrow Lake Ferry – between Shelter Bay and Galena Bay
Unaffected, provided there is no change in staffing. - Needles Ferry – between Fauquier and Needles
Unaffected, provided there is no change in staffing. - Arrow Park Ferry – at the junction of Upper and Lower Arrow Lake
Unaffected, provided there is no change in staffing. - Adams Lake Ferry – between Chase and Sorrento
Unaffected, provided there is no change in staffing.
Thursday, October 3
- Upper Arrow Lake Ferry – between Shelter Bay and Galena Bay
All sailings cancelled from 5:00 to 15:00. - Needles Ferry – between Fauquier and Needles
Unaffected, provided there is no change in staffing. - Arrow Park Ferry – at the junction of Upper and Lower Arrow Lake
Unaffected, provided there is no change in staffing. - Adams Lake Ferry – between Chase and Sorrento
Unaffected, provided there is no change in staffing.
Ferries operated by Western Pacific Marine are not currently affected by an overtime ban. The BCGEU is negotiating essential service levels in the coming days, and the following routes may be affected should job action start:
- Kootenay Lake Ferry – between Balfour terminal and Kootenay Bay terminal
- Glade Cable – between Nelson and Glade
- Harrop Cable – between Harrop and Proctor
Updates can be found here.
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