BC Ferries crews ‘tired of being abused’ over mask mandate, need more staff: union

WEST VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Enforcing the mask mandate on BC Ferries has been a challenge, at times. Now, it appears staff are asking for more help on board to manage situations where people flout the rules.

Face coverings once again became mandatory in all indoor public spaces in the province on Aug. 25, a move triggered by rising COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations.

Eric McNeely, president of the BC Ferry & Marine Workers’ Union says the majority of passengers are consistently wearing face coverings on BC Ferries vessels, but workers have had to deal with abuse from some customers in defiance of the mask mandate.

“Workers are tired of being abused when they approach people. There are … some people that forget to wear a mask, and then there are some people who are just not willing to wear a mask. Workers are tired of hitting that resistance,” he said.

McNeely says there isn’t enough staff to adequately enforce the mandate. From his perspective the answer is simple:

“There needs to be more crew and more support for a safe workplace,” he said, adding crew member staffing levels are at “historic lows.”

“In a situation in the past, you’d be able to have two or three crew members support each other in an interaction that could be abusive. That isn’t the case so much, anymore. It’s more of a one-on-one, which puts members more at risk.”

Have you noticed #BCFerries passengers without a mask?

Staff say they need support.

"It's not that they're not enforcing the mask mandate, it's more that there isn't the staff to adequately enforce it at all times."- Eric McNeely with @BCFMWU pic.twitter.com/S4dATDy3Pl

— Tim James (@TimJamesPlus) September 16, 2021

In addition to having low staffing levels, McNeely says those who are working are feeling more stress and there’s a lower sense of camaraderie among crew members.

“People are feeling more alone and exposed,” he said.

BC Ferries says the protocol for situations involving irate customers is to escalate to a supervisor. But McNeely says that’s not always realistic.

“You may go from zero to 60 when you engage with someone who’s not wearing a mask,” he said.

Deborah Marshall, who speaks for BC Ferries, says the company has heard of some cases of abuse, though she can’t say how often passengers defy the rules.

“We have had some reports of customers who were causing disturbances because they’re refusing to wear masks. We have added extra security on our vessels, where available, to assist our employees with dealing with such customers,” she said, adding BC Ferries is not an enforcement agency.

“If it’s necessary to call the police, we certainly do that.”

Related articles:

• BC Ferries passenger questions enforcement of mandatory mask policy

• ‘They will be refused travel’: Masks return to B.C. indoor spaces, including ferries and transit

• BC Ferries bans anti-mask protesters for causing a ‘disturbance’

Marshall says there are on-board announcements reminding customers about the mask mandate, and abusive incidents are escalated to a supervisor. She notes a travel ban can also be imposed on those who defy the policy.

On Tuesday, NEWS 1130 spoke with one frustrated passenger who said she counted more than a dozen people flouting the mask requirement without consequences on a recent sailing. Diane Tourell said she was shocked to see how many people appeared to be flagrantly defying the rule, claims she didn’t see or hear any of the protocols happening on board.

Marshall refused to say whether there has been any discussion about possibly involving police on board sailings.

With files from Bailey Nicholson and Liza Yuzda