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Post by ferryfast admin on Feb 21, 2006 10:56:07 GMT -5
February 20, 2006 HarbourLynx closure leaves Nanaimo ferry workers stranded without pay
The B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union confirms that it is doing everything possible to assist members who are owed back pay after their employer, the private Nanaimo-based ferry company HarbourLynx, went into receivership last week. The company had temporarily suspended services since February 2, due to engine troubles.
Noting that the BCGEU and HarbourLynx have been engaged for months in negotiations for a first collective agreement, union president George Heyman said, “It is unconscionable that this employer failed to disclose its financial problems during the bargaining process, and continued to let members work knowing that there might be no money to pay them.”
“This company and its managers have abandoned these employees who have families to support and bills to pay.”
Heyman said, “In receivership situations such as this, wages owed to working people need to be given a higher priority for repayment under the law.”
The 20 BCGEU members who were customer service and general purpose workers, and engineers and oilers for HarbourLynx are owed three weeks back pay, vacation pay, plus banked overtime in some cases.
HarbourLynx operated a daily passenger-only high-speed ferry service between downtown Nanaimo and downtown Vancouver.
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