{"id":2322642,"date":"2024-08-11T10:14:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-11T14:14:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/washington-ferry-workers-union-wants-better-pay-for-below-deck-employees-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-11T10:23:31","modified_gmt":"2024-08-11T14:23:31","slug":"washington-ferry-workers-union-wants-better-pay-for-below-deck-employees-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/washington-ferry-workers-union-wants-better-pay-for-below-deck-employees-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Washington ferry workers union wants better pay for below-deck employees &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwashington-ferry-workers-union-wants-better-pay-for-below-deck-employees-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2322642&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Marine Engineer Beneficial Association (MEBA), representing below-deck employees of Washington state\u2019s ferry \u200dsystem,\u200c is advocating for increased\u2062 pay and enhanced staffing due\u200c to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/an-anti-racist-public-health-agenda-nyc-board-votes-to-declare-racism-a-public-health-crisis\/\" title=\"\u2018An Anti-Racist Public Health Agenda\u2019: NYC Board Votes To Declare Racism A Public Health Crisis\">perceived inequities<\/a> in recent wage raises among ferry worker \u200bunions. MEBA asserts that these critical \u2064engine room workers \u200ddeserve raises of up \u200bto 20%. The union is currently in negotiations with the \u2062state\u2019s Office of Financial Management (OFM), which \u200dis simultaneously negotiating with about 30 other state worker groups. Any preliminary ferry agreement is expected to be \u2064submitted by October \u200c1 for financial evaluation,\u200c with a potential\u2063 contract starting on July \u200b1, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Washington State Rep. Andrew Barkis emphasized the importance of properly\u200d compensating below-deck workers to retain their expertise, which\u200c is essential for the smooth operation of the ferries. Barkis also highlighted the financial challenges of increasing labor costs,\u2064 which could jeopardize other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/la-rep-garret-graves-weighs-in-on-infrastructure-talks\/\" title=\"La. Rep. Garret Graves weighs in on infrastructure talks\">projects due<\/a> to limited revenue. Moreover, there are concerns regarding the \u2062state&#8217;s push for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/washington-state-plans-to-outlaw-most-new-gas-cars\/\" title=\"Washington State Plans To Outlaw Most New Gas Cars\">hybrid-electric ferries<\/a> \u200daffecting the situation. \u2063Meanwhile, the Washington State Department\u200d of Transportation\u2062 reassured the public about the expected arrival of new vessels in the coming years.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Washington ferry workers union wants better pay for below-deck employees<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1727391\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>(The Center Square) &ndash; Hundreds of Washington state ferry workers are calling for higher pay and better staffing.<\/p>\n<p>The Marine Engineer Beneficial Association, or MEBA, is the union that represents engine room employees. MEBA contends other deck-level ferry worker unions have been given bigger raises in the last year.<\/p>\n<p>The union argues below-deck workers are equally critical to the system and deserve better pay, insisting on raises of up to 20%.<\/p>\n<p>MEBA is currently bargaining with the state Office of Financial Management, which according to an OFM email sent to The Center Square, is also bargaining with, &ldquo;approximately 30 other groups of represented state workers.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The email goes on to say, &ldquo;Because bargaining is ongoing, we are not able to comment on specifics, but we continue to have confidence in the bargaining process and that we will come to a successful resolution with the parties.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Any tentative ferry agreement will be submitted to the OFM director by Oct. 1. The OFM director will then determine if the agreements are financially feasible for the contract that would take effect July 1, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Andrew Barkis, R-Centralia, is the ranking minority on the House Transportation Committee.<\/p>\n<p>Below-deck jobs are critical, he told The Center Square.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Those who are keeping the ships afloat should be compensated fairly,&rdquo; Barkis said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know exactly what that number is.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>He went on to note, &ldquo;We have a talented workforce now with institutional knowledge that will be very difficult to replace if they leave.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Barkis recalled a recent meeting with a longtime employee at Eagle Harbor who works in the engine room.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;He knew every nut and bolt, and I was thinking when this guy leaves, who is going to replace him?&rdquo; Barkis asked.<\/p>\n<p>Such <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-wokes-worth-and-why\/\" title=\"What Woke\u2019s Worth and Why\">valuable employees<\/a> need to be kept on the job.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Part of that retention, like we&rsquo;ve done with State Patrol, is compensation,&rdquo; Barkis said.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If we have to put more money into labor costs for the ferries, we&rsquo;ll have to find that money somewhere,&rdquo; he continued. &ldquo;It could put other projects in jeopardy, because there just isn&rsquo;t the revenue to do it all.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Gov. Jay Inslee&rsquo;s push for hybrid-electric ferries at a time when other boats are out of service has only made things worse, according to Barkis.<\/p>\n<p>Washington State Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary for State Ferries Steve Nevey pushed back on that assertion during a recent media availability event.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We share the public&rsquo;s urgency in bringing these vessels on board as quickly as possible,&rdquo; Nevey noted. &ldquo;We can receive two vessels in 2028, two in 2029 and the final of these five vessels in 2030.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>State Sen. Marco Liias, D-Edmonds, chairs the Senate Transportation Committee.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This is a testament to the real power of the Climate Commitment Act,&rdquo; Liias said. &ldquo;Because of the CCA [Climate Commitment Act], our ferries are fare free for youth, and in just a few years they won&rsquo;t just be fare free but climate neutral as well.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Complicating the equation is the fact voters may repeal the CCA via an initiative on the Nov. 5 ballot.<\/p>\n<p>Also complicating matters: staffing shortages.<\/p>\n<p>The ferry system lost hundreds of employees during the pandemic, with many taking early retirement, quitting or being let go over the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.<\/p>\n<p>Ferry service has been delayed or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/beijing-sees-worst-sandstorm-in-a-decade\/\" title=\"Beijing Sees Worst Sandstorm In A Decade\">canceled due<\/a> to lack of staff and continued maintenance issues.<\/p>\n<p>The winter 2024 Ferry Rider Opinion Group survey found 70% of riders on the Fauntleroy\/Vashon route expressing that they are either somewhat or extremely dissatisfied with service.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>62% of riders on the Southworth\/Vashon route voiced the same dissatisfaction.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;At the end of the day we must retain the valuable workforce that we have, and we&rsquo;re going to have to figure that out because the alternative is far worse,&rdquo; Barkis said.<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1727391\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1727391\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Washington ferry workers&#8217; union advocates for increased wages for below-deck staff (The Center Square) \u2013 A significant number of ferry workers in Washington state are demanding improved pay and staffing conditions. The Marine Engineer Beneficial Association (MEBA), which represents engine room personnel, argues that other unions representing deck-level workers have received larger salary increases over the past year. MEBA asserts that below-deck employees are just as essential to the operation and deserve higher compensation, seeking raises of up to 20%. Currently, MEBA is negotiating with the state Office of Financial Management (OFM), which is also in discussions with around 30 other groups of state employees. An OFM email shared with The Center Square stated that due to ongoing negotiations, they cannot provide specific details but remain optimistic about reaching a successful agreement. Any preliminary ferry contract will be presented to the OFM director by October 1, who will assess its financial viability for a contract starting July 1, 2025. Rep. Andrew Barkis, R-Centralia and ranking minority member on the House Transportation Committee, emphasized the importance of below-deck roles: \u201cThose who keep the ships operational should receive fair compensation,\u201d he remarked without specifying an exact figure. He highlighted concerns about retaining skilled workers with valuable institutional knowledge; losing them would be challenging to replace. Barkis recalled a conversation with a veteran engine room employee at Eagle Harbor who possessed extensive knowledge about every aspect of his job: \u201cWhen this person leaves, who will take his place?\u201d he questioned. Retaining such crucial staff is vital; according to Barkis, adequate compensation plays a key role in retention efforts similar to those made for State Patrol personnel. He acknowledged that increasing labor costs for ferries might necessitate reallocating funds from other projects due to limited revenue availability.<\/p>\n<p>Governor Jay Inslee&#8217;s initiative for hybrid-electric ferries has exacerbated challenges during periods when other vessels are out of service\u2014a point contested by Steve Nevey from Washington State Department of Transportation during a recent media event where he expressed urgency in bringing new vessels into service by 2028-2030.<\/p>\n<p>State Senator Marco Liias (D-Edmonds), chairing the Senate Transportation Committee, praised progress under the Climate Commitment Act (CCA), noting it has led to fare-free services for youth and aims toward climate neutrality within years ahead\u2014though potential repeal via an upcoming ballot initiative adds uncertainty.<\/p>\n<p>Staffing shortages further complicate matters as hundreds left during the pandemic due either to early retirement or resignations linked directly or indirectly related COVID-19 vaccine mandates\u2014resulting in delayed or canceled ferry services amid ongoing maintenance issues.<\/p>\n<p>A survey conducted among winter 2024 Ferry Rider Opinion Group revealed significant dissatisfaction among riders on routes like Fauntleroy\/Vashon and Southworth\/Vashon regarding service quality\u201470% and 62% respectively expressing discontentment.<\/p>\n<p>Barkis concluded by stressing that retaining their skilled workforce is imperative: \u201cWe must find solutions because failing this would lead us down a much worse path.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2322643,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/washington-state-union-ferry.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[37814,37813,37654,4701,37812],"class_list":["post-2322642","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-below-deck-employees","tag-better-pay","tag-labor-rights","tag-union","tag-washington-ferry-workers"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/washington-state-union-ferry.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2322642","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2322642"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2322642\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2322643"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2322642"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2322642"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2322642"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}