B.C. Ferries and its union announced the signing of a five-year contract Friday.
The new deal will see a wage increase of 8.55 per cent over the length of the contract, along with increases in health and welfare benefits. It was ratified Thursday evening with 88 per cent of union members voting in favour.
The agreement is backdated to Oct. 31 and runs to 2020.
B.C. Ferry and Marine Workers’ Union represents about 3,600 members across 35 vessels, 47 ports and other job sites. Members include tradespeople, ships’ officers and other worker.
Union president Graeme Johnston noted the tentative agreement was reached one day before the expiration of the old deal on Oct. 31 — the first time in the union’s history for that to happen.
Also, the vote and the agreement is only the fourth in the union’s 38-year history not requiring an outside arbitrator.
Johnston said the 2003 agreement was an arbitrated deal and many members did not feel well served. But arbitration is always a threat when dealing with an essential service, such as the ferries.
“It [arbitration] was something we were desperately trying to avoid,” Johnston said. “It’s good to feel in control of your own destiny.”
He said the new contract has significant increases in health and welfare benefits.
Johnston said he is especially proud of a new benefit for mothers. New mothers taking maternity leave will be topped up to 75 per cent of their pay instead of the 55 per cent received in employment insurance from the federal government.
Mike Corrigan, president and chief executive officer of B.C. Ferries, said he is glad to see the signing of the new deal, especially its five-year length.
Corrigan said the long-term deal means stability for everyone, especially ferry passengers.
B.C. Ferries prefers contracts to be as long as possible, perhaps even longer than five years, he said.
“It gives people a good certainty of travel to have long-term labour stability,” Corrigan said. “We are very happy with a five year deal.”
Like Johnston, Corrigan was pleased to see a tentative agreement reached before the expiration of the old contract and the new one hammered out without third-party arbitration.
“It’s the best way to come to an understanding,” Corrigan said. “Two parties should be able to sit down, come to an understanding and hammer out something both sides feel comfortable with.
“If you have to go to a third party there are rarely two winners.”