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Post by Dane on Oct 19, 2006 16:45:02 GMT -8
Can some one elaborate on what you mean when you say the Galleys are a mess on some WSF vessels? Do you mean a lteral mess? Mechanically a mess? Equipment missing or in disrepair? All of the above?
It just seems odd an area can't be cleared out for food service, doesn't seem like that much effort given (I'd assume at least) that the hips must be maintained to a fairly stringent standard.
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Post by SS San Mateo on Oct 20, 2006 6:21:34 GMT -8
Can some one elaborate on what you mean when you say the Galleys are a mess on some WSF vessels? Do you mean a lteral mess? Mechanically a mess? Equipment missing or in disrepair? All of the above? It's probably more like galley service disruptions whenever boats are moved around (like what happened when the Kitsap was moved to Mukilteo-Clinton and the galley was closed due to having to change the galley equipment, which wouldn't be worth the effort). There's also the case of the galley being closed on the Evergreen State due to health dept. not allowing it to be open. Since she is now only used whenever there's a boat shortage, it's probably not worth the effort to keep it up to standards/code. I wonder if the galleys on the steel-electrics are still maintained since these boats very rarely operate on routes where there is normally galley service.
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Post by Electric Thunderbird on Oct 20, 2006 7:58:12 GMT -8
One would think it shouldn't be that difficult to maintain the galleys. Even when not used. The vendors aren't doing a good job cleaning their messes and science expirements? A quick de-germ wipe down should be all that is needed to begin?
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Post by old_wsf_fan on Oct 20, 2006 17:49:32 GMT -8
It seems to me that galley service should be open on the PT/ Keystone route as it is a 30 minute trip and the Klickitat is the No. 1 boat for most of the year. There is enough traffic in my opinion to warrant having the galley open.
There is even more traffic in the summer to have the galley open on the Quinault as well.
I think if the galleys were stocked with decent food, people would buy a meal if it was available.
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Post by SS Shasta on Oct 21, 2006 11:44:17 GMT -8
It seems to me that galley service should be open on the PT/ Keystone route as it is a 30 minute trip and the Klickitat is the No. 1 boat for most of the year. There is enough traffic in my opinion to warrant having the galley open. There is even more traffic in the summer to have the galley open on the Quinault as well. I think if the galleys were stocked with decent food, people would buy a meal if it was available. I AGREE, and let's open the galley on the inner island ferry in the San Juans during the busy summer season ;D The galley on MV Evergreen State should also be cleaned up and "ready to serve" when she is in operation. It seems like most of this problem dates back to the old WSF management when they refused to assist the previous food service vendor and forced a year's shutdown of all galley service. Many fine galley workers lost their jobs. I believe this was a mindless act by WSF management and a clear expression of indifference to ferry riders!!!
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Post by Barnacle on Oct 22, 2006 10:09:48 GMT -8
I couldn't agree more. And Mike Thorne, former CEO, knew perfectly well he would get in, cut costs per his marching orders (except in his endeavors to bust the unions--we hald strong against that), and he knew what he was doing would leave the next CEO holding the bag. And this includes the problems of having separate vendors for the runs when it's a known fact that the boats move around from time to time.
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Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Oct 23, 2006 8:43:52 GMT -8
Do you have time to eat meals on crossings that are 20-30 mins in length??? I was on the Queen of Surrey on Saturday to Langdale and there were people still buying meals 10 mins before we docked and the Langdale is only a 40 min crossing. Not enough time if the ferry was really busy and you had to wait in line forever like on route 1.
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Post by Barnacle on Oct 24, 2006 5:15:44 GMT -8
Really, to call what is available in the WSF galleys a "meal" is a bit of an overstatement. Burgers, hot dogs, corn dogs, polish sausage (of dubious national origin ;D ), sandwiches, salads, chips, beverages, popcorn... kind of a glorified snack bar rather than a meal. We used to have breakfast combos available, but that was when the previous contractor still allowed their employees to use the grills and deep fat fryers. But it's definitely not what I'd call a meal, more of a grab-and-go.
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Post by zman on Oct 24, 2006 6:37:43 GMT -8
Do you have time to eat meals on crossings that are 20-30 mins in length??? Yes. On the Southworth/Vashon/Fauntleroy boat (10-40min), there are alot of people that buy things. In the morning, coffee, sandwiches, and pastries are the hot things. Mid day and afternoon is wine, beer, soda, popcorn, soup, and some sandwiches. I think that is has to do with the fact that there are no services around the docks. The Bremerton/Seattle trip is an hour, and they are higher priced, and sell mostly stuff that is pre made. They usually sell the breakfast sandwiches, popcorn, burgers, coffee, soda, wine and beer.
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Post by SS Shasta on Nov 18, 2006 0:34:56 GMT -8
HERE WE GO AGAIN? WSF has cancelled the food service agreement with Sound Foods for galley service on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run. According to WSF management the contract was violated when Sound Foods held back $20,000 in concession fees due WSF. Sound Foods apparently withheld the money to cover losses when they were not allowed to open the galley on MV Evergreen State last spring. That issue is described in messages posted above. One wonders why WSF failed to maintain proper conditions in the galley on MV Evergreen State in the first place. Their rigid demands for concession payments need a complete review. I believe that the attitude of WSF management must change on this issue; they clearly need to improve their public relations to promote food services............and clean up the galley on MV Evergreen State!!!
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Post by SS San Mateo on Nov 18, 2006 10:07:02 GMT -8
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Post by zman on Nov 18, 2006 12:09:24 GMT -8
I saw that... I know that the contract said that WSF is not responsible for any vessel swaps, but it is rediculous that WSF fails to consider the fact that the Evergreen's Galley is not operational. Sound Foods actually has decent service.
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Post by Political Incorrectness on Nov 18, 2006 15:36:20 GMT -8
Time for me to start a rant.
Supporting Sound Foods side
Why should Sound Foods be responsible for vessel swapping? How can they help losses due to WSF decisions? They are a small buisness and WSF is treating them as if it should be a big buisness. Concessionaires are not big unless they are at stadiums. WSF is being completely inconsiderate, instead of negotiating, they just say you violate, you cancel, instead of working out some sort of deal.
Supporting WSF
Sounds Foods should have negotiated the contract with that term, if they did not like it, they should have said something. They violated a term and should not be able to serve unless they pay.
Summary, both need to go to the table and make some sort of deal on this issue, TALKING TO EACH OTHER IS KEY NOT BREAKING UP! You need to confront each other face to face and deal with it in a positive manner and state the problems, if it does not work, go up the chain.
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Post by Barnacle on Nov 18, 2006 16:53:52 GMT -8
REAL ISSUE AT STAKE:
This is why having more than one concessionaire running the galleys in the fleet is a bad idea.
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Post by SS San Mateo on Nov 18, 2006 17:00:03 GMT -8
Are the galleys on the steel-electrics (with the exception of the Nisqually) still maintained or are they not in sanitary condition as well (since they now very rarely operarte on routes that normally have galley service)?
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Post by Electric Thunderbird on Nov 18, 2006 18:33:30 GMT -8
Supporting Sound Foods side Why should Sound Foods be responsible for vessel swapping? How can they help losses due to WSF decisions? They are a small buisness and WSF is treating them as if it should be a big buisness. Concessionaires are not big unless they are at stadiums. WSF is being completely inconsiderate, instead of negotiating, they just say you violate, you cancel, instead of working out some sort of deal. Sound Foods should not have to pay for a galley that they can't use. WSF should give them a discount or reduced charges, its only fair.
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Post by Barnacle on Nov 18, 2006 19:09:02 GMT -8
I think there should have been some sort of compensation for Sound Foods, too. After all, WSF has to meet certain criteria in their end of the contract. WSF is now opening the door to yet another stupid lawsuit and wasting more taxpayers' money.
I don't think the galleys on the steel-electrics are "maintained" beyond what the Coast Guard requires to keep the vessel in service.
Speaking of the Nisqually, did any south-o'-the-borderites see her out and about on sea trials recently?
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Post by zman on Nov 18, 2006 20:23:21 GMT -8
Sound Foods should not have to pay for a galley that they can't use. WSF should give them a discount or reduced charges, its only fair. I totally agree to that...SF has had to change around several times this year due to WSF needing to switch...They had the Chelan, Kitsap, Kittitas (for 3 days), and they were able to fund the staff to switch things around. The Evergreen had a galley that was not safe or sanitary...I would think that WSF would be responsible for making sure that the galley is in compliance with the health department regulations. SF did not have a chance to have services on the Evergreen, so they should not have to pay... On the other side, the State did have a legal contract, and if they bend a little, that will have other companies that have contracts with the State to cry foul...Not to mention the fact that the government would have breeched a contract that they wrote... This issue has two sides who think they are both right...unfortunately, we are involving the government who is "always right"\
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Post by SS San Mateo on Nov 18, 2006 22:22:52 GMT -8
That Seattle PI article had something that made no sense.
I'm assuming that whoever wrote this article meant to say that Sound Food was unable to sell food on the backup ferry.
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Post by northwesterner on Nov 19, 2006 8:35:35 GMT -8
This is absolute insanity.
Perhaps the contract did not have a provision for what to do with a ferry without an operating galley.
But common sense shows that, contract wording or not, if they can't sell, they shouldn't have to pay the concession fees. Especially when the Evergreen State was on the run for over a month.
Which brings me to my next question. What specifically is keeping the Evergreen State's galley from meeting health codes? Is it just general uncleanliness, or have their been health code chages that the galley is not meeting without having money put into it.
Because if its just cleaning it that is needed, then its rediculous that WSF can't get it cleaned, especially when they knew it would be operating for over a month. I used to work at a summer camp ... at the beginning of the summer we had to reopen the kitchen that had been closed for 9 months. It really takes about 3 or 4 people and a full day to get it clean to the point of passing the health inspection. And thats really not that big of a deal.
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Post by SS San Mateo on Nov 19, 2006 11:06:56 GMT -8
Which brings me to my next question. What specifically is keeping the Evergreen State's galley from meeting health codes? Is it just general uncleanliness, or have their been health code chages that the galley is not meeting without having money put into it. Based on what was mentioned in the Seattle-PI article, I'm guessing it's the lack of refrigerators and food warmers that's keeping the galley from metting health codes.
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Post by Barnacle on Nov 20, 2006 9:16:53 GMT -8
She has both, or at least did when I last saw the old girl in 2003... the refrigerators may not be in a working condition since they don't get used regularly (and let's face it, they're 52 years old).
However, WSF doesn't 'know' that the boat's going to be in service for any given time, ever. It's the backup boat. It's the one that shows up when there's been a breakdown. And since we don't know what run it will appear on, the galley can't be stocked ahead of time because we don't know which company will be running the galley. Plus, leaving it fully stocked would be a tremendous waste of effort and supplies for any company even if the whole fleet were serviced by one galley vendor.
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Post by zman on Nov 20, 2006 9:20:48 GMT -8
That is definitely true that it cannot be stocked up...that would be disastrous. It seems that the only thing that needs to be done is to ensure that the galley will be serviceable when the boat is needed. The vendor needs to supply the equipment that they use, but whatever it is that is preventing the galley from being "safe" should be taken care of by the state, or else they should not expect payment from the vendors who cannot use the galley.
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Post by Barnacle on Nov 20, 2006 9:37:43 GMT -8
I can't argue with that. I also have to say I'm making my statements without having set foot in the galley on the Evergreen State since 2003--no, make that 2004. I ran over to borrow a floor buffer once for use on another boat.
No, the ultimate issue here is that the former CEO of WSF bid out the galley concessions how he pleased, knowing full well he would be gone and leaving someone else holding the bag before the whole bloody mess blew up.
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Post by Electric Thunderbird on Nov 20, 2006 13:12:02 GMT -8
The last fleetwide concessionaire didn't seem to have galley closure issues due to boat switching?
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