Unionized BC Ferries workers getting 7.75 per cent wage increase

A BC Ferries vessel is seen travelling between Campbell River and Quadra Island. April 20, 2012. (iStock)

BC Ferries has announced a retroactive one-year wage increase of 7.75 per cent for unionized employees.

The raise, which the employer described as “substantial,” was decided by an arbitration panel after wage negotiations with the B.C. Ferry and Marine Workers’ Union came to a standstill last fall.

The increase will apply retroactively to Oct. 1 and remain in place until March 31, 2025.

In a statement, BC Ferries president Nicolas Jimenez called the wage hike “one of the largest increases in the company’s history.”

“We know wages haven’t kept up for our people and that more was needed for us to get back to being an employer of choice. I’m grateful to our people for the patience they demonstrated over the last few months,” said Jimenez.

Some workers, including licensed mariners, will be receiving “special increases” of up to an additional 10 per cent, according to the company.

CTV News has reached out to the union for a response to the announcement, but has not heard back.

The arbitration panel’s decision follows months of growing tension and morale issues at BC Ferries, which has blamed staffing issues for a string of cancellations over recent years.

During the busy winter holiday travel period, two ferries were unexpectedly held at dock, delaying travel for hundreds of passengers – in each case because of a single crew member calling in sick.

The company has promised to address ongoing issues, and already boasted hiring more than 1,200 employees over the last year.

In a news release, BC Ferries said it has “seen its cancellations due to crew shortages drop by 37 per cent.”

“These new compensation levels should only help continue that trend,” the company added.