BC Ferries - Employee Types

[BrianWilliams]

This is ancient history, but the pattern is similar:

A good friend of mine got "air fever" in Air Cadets 40 years ago. He didn't qualify for flying in Cadets, but chose to pursue air maintenance at BCIT. He graduated with high marks, and was accepted by Pacific Western Airlines as a newbie in 1970.

Bill worked hard and skilfully for several years in the early 1970's. On-call was his life. I had my 9-to-5 job; Bill worked a few predictable shifts at YVR, but had to be available all the time.

We were good pals, and married two women who were like sisters - but Bill's early days were pure hell. He worked the night his first daughter was born; and countless Christmasses and New Years Eves.

Of course, he made the senior board. He survived the PW/CP/Wardair mergers, and retired (long before me) as a fully-pensioned Air Canada worker.

A hard, hard road, but one that is common in the transportation industry.

[Guest]

The trouble with the 'on call' policy with BC Ferries, is they expect you to be available and don't want you having another job. So the point is how can you live if you don't get called for a week or more? It isn't a matter with putting up with it to start.. it is about 10 years of 'on call' and most people can't survive by sitting waiting for a phone call. If they could guarantee you so many hours, but they don't. They just say you are on the list so hope you get called., and don't refuse 3 times or you are 'done.'

BC Ferries would do better and may have more dedicated, reliable employees if they offered casual/part time employment like most places do and you have SOME idea of how many hours you will get. How can you be dedicated to a job if you are only considered one on the list, just a number, so to speak.

Sure no problem being 'on call' if you know you have say 30 hours a week. But not the case here.

[Koastal Karl]

My thought exactly!!

[Scott]

I too think BC Ferries could improve it's on-call employment. They are in a difficult situation because they really do need a good supply of on-call employees to man extra ships that are only needed during the busy seasons. But they could give more certainty to their on-call employees by guarenteeing them at least some work year round and not punishing them for not being able to make it every single time.

I wonder if they have ever thought about putting employees to work on the ships during the summer, and then during the slow season, having them working at Deas Dock for the busy refit season. It wouldn't work for everyone, but for Lower Mainland employees it might. Of course they're separate entities now so it probably wouldn't be possible anymore.

Just to moderate what has been said though - I have been told that the "new" BC Ferries is trying to improve the working conditions for on-call employees. I'm not sure that the "three strikes and you're out" policy is the rule anymore. And I think they accept the fact that most of their on-call employees do have other jobs, although I'm sure BC Ferries expects to be "No. 1" priority if there ever is a conflict.

[Hardy]

This evil "on-call" policy comes up in other places too. In the moving industry it is worse than most others -- everyone and their dog moves at month-end. For many years I "part-timed" 5-6-7 jobs at different employers just to string together full-time hours (or sometimes double/triple shifting). As everyone else has stated, you keep saying NO to an employer more than 2 times in a row, and you are either slipping quickly down their call board, or you are struck off all-together. In my case, experience kept me on the boards ... BUT there were times when even though I was working lots of hours, I was sliding down 3 or 4 status boards at the same time, just because of commitments.

In general, I knew 3 or more days ahead where I was working (because some places would book me regardless ahead, because they knew I worked first come basis) .... but it did lead to a lot of hassles for me. Never really did get much seniority anywhere doing this, but I got a ton of hours.

There's probably a ton of other stories like mine, just thought I would relate it and articulate it for any of those that have never really been in this unique of all employment positions -- damned if you do and damned even more if you don't!

[BrianWilliams]

Yes, I see the difference: my friend's long on-call time at PWA did not hurt his paycheque. He got at least 37-1/2 hours good pay every week - and extra for night work and holidays. His problem was just unpredictable shifts.

Not so bad for a young guy.