
The Malaspina departed Haines for Skagway and Juneau, but not ports beyond, due to a ferry workers union strike. (KHNS/Claire Stremple)
Alaska Marine Highway System will refund tickets as a union strike paralyses the system.
On the surface it was business as usual at the Haines Ferry Terminal Wednesday afternoon. The Malaspina loaded up and headed towards Skagway and Juneau. But that’s where it will stop… until further notice. The largest union representing ferry workers declared a strike just hours earlier.
“I think our reservations section the phone is ringing off the hook,” said Alaska’s Transportation Commissioner, John MacKinnon. He says Alaska Marine Highway System vessels will not sail until further notice due to the strike. They will contact ticketed passengers to offer refunds. The online reservations system kept working, even as ferry workers walked off boats.
“Believe it or not, you know, at three o’clock when we saw what was happening, we didn’t immediately hit the switch and take down our reservation systems. It was about a half hour later that somebody says ‘Boy, I hope our reservations isn’t still taking reservations,'” he said.
“It’s an online system and and we we stopped that right away.”
The future of negotiations is uncertain. ManKinnon says the Inland Boatman’s Union wants to return to the bargaining table. There are three ferry worker’s unions and MacKinnon says its unfair to give one union more than the others.
“The budget isn’t that rosy right now and we don’t have the luxury of giving them more,” he said.
Inlandboatman’s Union of the Pacific Vice Chair Robb Arnold told Anchorage Daily News that workers will strike in a “rolling” fashion as ships return to port. MacKinnon says he doesn’t remember anything like this happening before.
“I think it was 40 years ago when one of the marine unions went on strike. And it lasted for about a week, from what I’ve been told,” Mac Kinnon said.
He says the Department of Transportation is working to get the contracts settled.
“It’s unfortunate we’re in this situation, but we’re doing the best we can to not disrupt people’s life and and their travels as much as it could happen,” he said.
Workers at the Haines ferry terminal declined to comment.