Inland ferry services that are crucial to several small communities in southeast British Columbia face being further cut from today as a labour dispute on Kootenay Lake escalates.
The West Kootenay communities of Harrop, Procter and Glade could see their ferry service reduced after a B.C. Labour Relations Board ruling that permits expansion of the strike has already limited sailings on the major Kootenay Lake routes.
For some residents, the only alternative to the cable ferry routes across the narrow lake is an hours-long drive, while other residents fear being cut off completely.
B.C. General Employees’ Union workers have been on strike since Nov. 3, seeking wage increases, scheduling adjustments and extended benefits for auxiliary workers from employer Western Pacific Marine.
The labour board approved the union’s bid to reduce service of the Harrop-Procter ferry to eight round trips daily and 16 round trips for the Glade ferry.
The Harrop ferry usually runs on a 24-hour on-demand schedule, while the Glade ferry’s regular schedule is 5 a.m. to 2:20 a.m.
The labour board says about 600 people live in the Harrop-Procter area and about 300 people live in Glade.
