Unionized workers on a passenger ferry service connecting Victoria and Seattle have reached a tentative agreement, avoiding a potential Labour Day weekend strike.
The estimated 25 Unifor Local 114 members serving aboard the Victoria Clipper have been without a contract since October 2022. Negotiations have been underway since May, and the union said the key issue in negotiations was wages.
Union members had voted unanimously to strike if the two sides couldn’t reach a deal by Sunday.
In a statement, FRS Clipper said the deal “shows our commitment to enter a collective agreement with our unionized team members, allowing us to continue to provide the high level of service FRS Clipper has been offering, and will offer, for years to come.”
The company added it will be sailing with an updated schedule over the long weekend.
On Sunday, it will offer an 8 a.m. departure from Seattle and a 7 p.m. return sailing from Victoria, while on Monday it will return to its regular schedule, leaving Seattle at 8 a.m. and returning from Victoria at 5:30 p.m.
Details of the agreement remain under wraps until members hold a ratification vote, scheduled for next Wednesday.