Expanded strike action on cable ferries across Kootenay Lake is set to disrupt essential services for villages of Harrop, Procter, and Glade. Residents face limited access to nearby communities of Nelson and Balfour for shopping, work, and healthcare. The BCGEU, representing striking ferry workers, is seeking wage increases, scheduling adjustments, and extended benefits.
Andrew Doran, a resident of the tiny B.C. Interior community of Harrop, has been getting ready for expanded strike action on the cable ferry across Kootenay Lake that is a community lifeline.
"The union is issuing the required 24-hour notice of our intention to expand the current strike action to include the Harrop and Glade ferries effective 6:30 a.m. on Jan. 6, 2025," the B.C. General Employees' Union says in a letter to employer Western Pacific Marine. So far, the strike has limited but not halted service on a longer ferry run across Kootenay Lake, from Balfour to Kootenay Bay. Like the smaller routes, it is subject to an essential-service designation and cannot be halted entirely.
The union was not immediately available to comment Friday, but spokesman Aaron Donovan said earlier it would provide a statement on the situation. Melinda Foot, co-owner of the Procter General Store, said earlier the cable ferry crossings to Nelson and Balfour only take five minutes, but the sailings are the only link for the communities.
Strike Ferry Kootenay Lake Essential Services BCGEU
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