More than 150 people packed the Procter community Hall on Sunday afternoon, December 29, to raise concerns around the B.C. Labor Relations Board (LRB) ruling on Friday, December 27, to reduce sailings on the Harrop ferry to eight round trips a day.
According to Harrop-Procter Ferry Committee chairperson Rick Morley, the reduction would be eight per cent of the regular sailings, as the Harrop ferry (a five-minute crossing) usually operate 24-7.
“There’s 600 people in the community over here. A lot of them have jobs on the other side. There are people on the other side that have jobs here. It’s going to have a major, not only emotional impact, but it’s also going to have an economic impact.” said Morley.
“It’s going to be very substantial and it’s going to be very hard on our people here.”
At the community meeting residents raised concerns around legality of striking, medical worries, livestock and veterinary appointments, real estate, an emergency response strategy, business and economic impacts, sanitation and garbage disposal, recreation and court ordered commitments.
“Most people are on the very upset side. There are some people that this is affecting them emotionally and mentally.” said Morley.
“40 per cent of our population is elderly people and some of them have very significant medical issues. There’s a lot of unsureness about it and that’s what’s really upsetting people.”
The community has described the strike action as being held ‘hostage’, as the employer, Western Pacific Marine and B.C. General Employees Union (BCEGU) have been at an impasse with negotiations.
While the Harrop ferry is expected to be reduced to eight sailings a day, the Glade ferry has been reduced to 16.
Previously the Kootenay Lake Ferry strike applied only to the Balfour-Kootenay Bay ferry, however, the BCGEU applied to the LRB in mid-December to amended essential service order that would affect Glade and Harrop-Procter.
B.C. Labor Relations Board Ruling
The latest ruling states the Harrop ferry must run eight round trips per day, and the Glade ferry to run 16 round trips per day, on a schedule decided by the employer, Western Pacific Marine.
In addition, the essential services order states that the ferries will run on demand for the following passengers:
- people with medical appointments
- students crossing to attend classes (or their parents for drop-off purposes)
- teachers and school administrators
- ambulances
- RCMP vehicles
- health professionals
- emergency dispatches
- a person responding to a mental or physical health emergency
- snow removal vehicles
- vendors making scheduled deliveries to the Procter General Store including fuel truck
The LRB order states that the BCGEU must have ferry operators available for all required crossings.
Harrop-Procter has been here before
For many at the meeting, this is not the first conflict the ferry has seen, and they doubt it will be the last.
In 2002, the Harrop ferry, along with all BC inland ferries, were privatized, fixing one solution and creating many more.
While all other inland operators have agreed to a contract, Western Pacific Marine has not.
What’s next?
The Harrop-Procter Ferry Committee is recruiting volunteers to help navigate the process ahead, and to build a community strategy to tackle the impending strike action.
Meanwhile, they have reached out to the Glade residents to begin talks.
According to the BCEGU the strike action could come as soon as January 2, however, Western Pacific Marine and union are expected to meet this afternoon, December 30.
For more information or to stay up to date with ferry schedules, please visit ferries.bcgeu.ca.
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