2025 WAGE REOPENER |
Congratulations to the Provincial Executive Officers for the 2024 term which will commence June 1, 2024.
Provincial President Eric McNeely
Provincial 1st Vice President Kevin Lee
Provincial 2nd Vice President Dave Lines
Provincial Secretary-Treasurer Mike Nelson
On June 17, 1978 BCFMWU signed our first Collective Agreement.
After two years of legal battles, the Labour Relations Board, on April 27, 1979, made BCFMWU the sole bargaining agent for all ferry workers, including licensed officers. This decision finally brought all ferry workers into one organization.
The Coastal Ferry Act (CFA) was introduced in 2003 by the then Liberal Government. The intention was to put BC Ferries on the road to privatization. Shortly after the CFA was legislated, our Union began bargaining. When talks broke down, the response escalated to a fleet wide strike and public protest. After five days of bitter dispute and by mutual agreement, the parties proceeded to binding Arbitration under the oversight of Vince Ready.
The Collective Agreement that came out of the 2003 strike was for nine years and started the Exclusion/Inclusion battle that still continues today.