The government reorganized the ferry service as a Crown Corporation. As the new employer was under the scope of the Labour Code, the way was paved for the formation of the BC Ferry & Marine Workers’ Union (BCFMWU).
January 1, 1977
The founding Convention of BCFMWU Unlicensed members was held in Victoria. Almost immediately, the new Union was faced with negotiating a Collective Agreement.
January 1977
October 5, 1977
Negotiations, even with a mediator, were unsuccessful and on October 5, 1977 the way was cleared for strike action. The strike lasted only two days and a mediated settlement was reached after extensive negotiations.
BCFMWU signed our first Collective Agreement.
June 17, 1978
April 27, 1979
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.
Rupert Cleaners and Laundry Ltd joined BCFMWU.
Late 1990s
2003
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.
2003 to 2012
November 17, 2015
BCFMWU members ratified a new 5 year Collective Agreement. Brother Graeme Johnston is only the second President in BCFMWU history to reach an agreement without a third party and prior to the expiration of the agreement.
Hullo Ferries employees voted to join BCFMWU. The vote was more than 80% in favor of joining.
September 2024