ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — The provincial government says it remains committed to reaching an agreement in the ferry captains’ strike, but adds clarification is needed with regards to comments made by the Canadian Merchant Service Guild, which represents the captains regarding what has been termed a delay in negotiations that would lead to a new contract replacing one which expired eight years ago.
President of Treasury Board Steve Crocker and Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Derek Bragg issued a joint press release this morning saying they “believed strongly that a fair and reasonable offer has been made” and urged the Guild to reconsider the offer.
Still, much of the release indicated the situation might be described as much as an impasse as one that held potential for a resumption of talks to end a more than week-long strike that’s reduced five ferry routes in the province to reduced essential-service schedules
In it, Crocker and Bragg said government has been open to negotiations throughout the past eight years and that it was the Guild which broke off talks in 2018, then challenged the essential services designations before the Labour Relations Board and appeals through the courts.
According to the province, during this period, offers made to the union for a return to the bargaining tab were declined and there was no contact attempted by the Guild until July 31, when it advised government it had a strike mandate.
The release also outlined some of the key issues in negotiations.
The province said agreement had been reached on monetary points: namely a five per cent increase in line with what had been provided to the majority of public service employees between 2012 and now and also increases in shift differential and other allowances.
At dispute, according to the government, is the effective date of the wage increase and other monetary items.
The government offered to make them retroactive to Jan. 1 of this year, but the release said the Guild is insisting on a July 1, 2018 as an effective date.
The province said another disagreement relates to scheduling, that the Guild wants the current daily sailing schedules be written in the collective agreement. However, Bragg and Crocker say this would limit future operations and increase overtime costs, adding they consider these key issues in light of the province’s current fiscal situation.
