BC Ferries has more senior managers than vessels in its fleet

As BC Ferries continues to grapple with a labour shortage on the waters, new numbers show the company has had no trouble filling the ranks of its corporate offices.

The company, which is publicly owned but privately managed, operates a fleet of 39 vessels, but employs 51 shore-based executive directors and directors, it confirmed.

It also employs 18 superintendents, 207 managers and eight executives.

Eric McNeely, president of the B.C. Ferry and Marine Workers Union, said the numbers are outrageous considering the company continues to struggle to staff its vessels.

“It’s pretty hard to maintain vessels that are 40 plus years old without the staff and the resources to do it,” he said. “It’s pretty hard to sail the same vessels without the staff to do it.”

2:12 Questions raised about executive salaries at BC Ferries

McNeely said the union’s members are falling behind their peers with other maritime employers, with captains and senior officers able to make 20 to 40 per cent more elsewhere.

BC Ferries’ interim CEO Jill Sharland was not available for an interview Thursday, but the company said she would speak with Global News next week.

In a statement, it said BC Ferries operates as a “lean organization” across its leadership sectors, with a ratio of one manager to about 18 workers.

“In order to fulfill the expectations of our customers and to address the current and expected labour challenges the work we started to build up our ranks last year must continue in 2023,” it said.

The statement went on to say that while workers are still covered by an active collective agreement, the company worked with the union to agree on “significant wage premium enhancements” for engineers and officers who need certification, and an agreement to start wage reopening negotiations six months earlier than specified in the contract.

The company says it is also gearing up for a major recruitment push ahead of summer, and will be posting 250 jobs this month.