Labour complaint filed by union representing workers at B.C. Interior ferry service

BURNABY — The union representing workers at the Kootenay Lake Ferry in B.C.’s Interior has filed an unfair labour practice complaint against the operator of the service.

The BC General Employees’ Union says in a news release that Western Pacific Marine has not given retroactive pay owed to workers since the current labour agreement was ratified last June.

The union also says the company has not “implemented new items in the collective agreement, including day-to-day scheduling, benefit increases and shift differentials.”

The complaint was lodged with the Labour Relations Board, and union president Paul Finch says the employer must respect the ratified agreement since the deal comes into full effect as soon as it is ratified.

Western Pacific Marine general manager Odai Sirri says in a statement that the company is aware of the situation.

Sirri says “the characterization presented” by the union “does not accurately reflect the complexity of the situation,” noting some employees may have been “resistant” to the introduction of new crew and the two sides had agreed to return to arbitration for the implementation of the deal.

“WPM values its workforce and respects the role of organized labour,” Sirri says in the statement. “We believe that the challenges facing the Kootenay Lake ferry service can and must be addressed collaboratively, with a shared focus on safety, professionalism, and service to the community.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 14, 2026.