Photo: Facebook – Kootenay Lake Ferry

The Kootenay Lake ferry is completely out of service Sunday as workers begin their strike.

British Columbia General Employees Union (BCGEU) issued its 72-hour strike notice Friday after negotiations between the union and Western Pacific Marine Ferries failed.

The union said Western Pacific Marine Ferries presented employees with an “unsatisfactory offer” that did not meet the standards Westbridge Ferries had set a week earlier, following a labor action at the company.

Western Pacific Marine Ferries operates the Kootenay Lake ferry between Balfour and Kootenay Lake, while Westbridge operates ferries on Upper Arrow Lake and Adams Lake.

With the strike starting Sunday at noon, DriveBC says the ferry will not operate at all on Sunday due to “crew issues.”

Starting Monday, essential service crossings will begin from Balfour at 6:30 a.m., 8:10 a.m., 4:30 p.m., and from Kootenay Bay at 7:10 a.m., 9 a.m. and 5:20 p.m. These crossings will be for “essential service travelers” only. »

A BCGEU “solidarity rally” began at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday at Balfour Terminal.

On October 27, the BCGEU reached an agreement with WaterBridge Ferries – which operates the Upper Arrow Lake Ferry, Needles Ferry, Arrow Park Ferry and Adams Lake Ferry – returning these inland ferry operations to full service. The pressure tactics by these employees lasted about a month.