Members of the Inland Boatmen’s Union of the Pacific picket in front of the Auke Bay Terminal in Juneau, Alaska, Thursday, July 25, 2019. The union called a strike on Wednesday over failed negotiations with Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration. State officials said Thursday more than $580,000 in fares has been refunded to passengers affected by striking ferry workers. (Michael Penn/The Juneau Empire via AP)

Members of the Inland Boatmen’s Union of the Pacific picket in front of the Auke Bay Terminal in Juneau, Alaska, Thursday, July 25, 2019. The union called a strike on Wednesday over failed negotiations with Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration. State officials said Thursday more than $580,000 in fares has been refunded to passengers affected by striking ferry workers. (Michael Penn/The Juneau Empire via AP)

Striking ferry workers, state reach tentative deal

DOA: Both sides made concessions and compromises on wages, health care, length of the contract.

  • By Mark Thiessen Associated Press
  • Saturday, August 3, 2019 10:03pm
  • News

ANCHORAGE — The state of Alaska and the union representing striking ferry workers on Friday announced they have reached an agreement that could end the work stoppage that cost millions of dollars and stranded passengers in coastal communities.

Terms of the three-year deal will not be disclosed until Inlandboatmen’s Union of the Pacific members ratify the agreement, which could come as soon as Monday, state officials said.

“It’s a win-win situation,” Department of Administration Commissioner Kelly Tshibaka said during a teleconference. “It’s good for employees, it’s good for Alaska, and that’s what really matters”

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

A federal mediator participated in the negotiations. Tshibaka said both sides made concessions and compromises concerning wages, health care and the length of the contract.

Union spokesman Robb Arnold did not immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press.

However, the union’s president and chief negotiator, Marina Secchitano, is quoted in a news release from the state saying they are pleased with the deal. “This new agreement addresses many of our members’ concerns,” she said.

It was the first strike for the ferry system since 1977, when the dispute lasted 20 days.

The ferry system is an important link to many small Alaska communities not connected to the state’s limited road system. The ferries operate along 3,500 miles of coastline, stretching from Bellingham, Washington, to the Aleutian Islands.

The state was working Friday to bring the ferries back online, and the earliest any could sail would be Saturday, Department of Transportation Commissioner John MacKinnon said. Expected to get back into service first would be day boats like the Tazlina and Aurora.

“Our goal is to get this system back in operation according to its published schedule and continue to provide service to the coastal communities,” he said.

The union representing about 430 ferry workers went on strike July 24 over wages, health care and uncertainty for their future amid budget cuts.

MacKinnon said as of Thursday afternoon, the state had to refund about $3.2 million to 8,300 passengers and 2,300 vehicles because of the strike.

“That is a big revenue hit to the system, and that loss of revenue will impact our ability to operate in the future,” MacKinnon said.

The biggest disruption came when two ferries, the Columbia and the Kennicott, were en route to Bellingham but docked in Ketchikan for the strike, stranding passengers.

“It was hard to get them out of Ketchikan,” MacKinnon said of trying to get passengers to their destinations. He said some stranded vehicles were put on cargo ships for the final destinations, but some passengers and their vehicles still remain stranded in Ketchikan.

More in News

Jason Criss stands for a photo in Soldotna, Alaska, after being named a qualifier for the Special Olympics USA Games on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna athlete to compete in 2026 Special Olympics USA Games

Thousands of athletes from across all 50 states will be competing in 16 sports.

The entrance to the Homer Electric Association office is seen here in Kenai, Alaska on May 7, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
HEA opens bids for real property

The deadline to submit bids is 5 p.m. on Aug. 11.

Arturo Mondragon-Lopez, Jr. (right) attends a change of plea hearing related to the October 2023 fatal shooting of Brianna Hetrick on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, at the Homer Courthouse in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Mondragon-Lopez sentenced for death of Homer woman

Arturo Mondragon-Lopez, Jr. accepted a plea deal in February for the shooting of Brianna Hetrick.

Soldotna City Hall is seen on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna OKs $395,000 capital plan

This year’s list of capital projects is “nominal compared to some past years,” according to officials.

A map of areas proposed for annexation by the City of Soldotna. (Provided by City of Soldotna)
Soldotna adds annexation proposal to ballot

The proposed annexation is split across five small areas around the city.

Nets are extended from North Kenai Beach in Kenai, Alaska, during the first day of the Kenai River personal use dipnet fishery on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
‘A really good day’

Kenai River personal use sockeye salmon dipnet fishery opens.

The entrance to the Kenai Peninsula Borough building in Soldotna is seen here on June 1. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough assembly to consider ordinance to increase residential property tax exemption

If approved by voters in October, the ordinance would increase the tax exemption by $25,000.

Vice President Kelly Cooper speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough considers seasonal sales tax rate

Borough sales tax would be modified from a flat 3% to a seasonal model of 4% in summer months and 2% in winter months.

Most Read

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Clarion relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in