Members of Unifor Local 114 who work with the Victoria Clipper say the Victoria-Seattle ferry service could be disrupted before the end of the summer.

The union said the reason for the possible disruptions is because of the slow bargaining pace for their next contract.

鈥淭he Clipper鈥檚 negotiators seem to be stuck in a pandemic concessionary mindset,鈥� Unifor national president Lana Payne said in a news release. 鈥淔erry ridership has rebounded from COVID-19. The company simply has no excuse to drag its feet on a fair contract for workers.鈥�

Clipper workers are looking for wage increases, adjustments to the scheduling system and better job security.

The union successfully applied for the help of a conciliator to help close the gap between the parties.

鈥淭he Clipper is a key part of the region鈥檚 tourism,鈥� Unifor western regional director Gavin McGarrigle. 鈥淭he workers responsible for the smooth operation of ferry services deserve a fair agreement.鈥�

Contract disputes and service disruptions are new to the Clipper service.

Unifor Local 114 represents 25 workers at the Victoria side of the Clipper鈥檚 workforce in customer service, ticketing, baggage handling and docking.

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