British ColumbiaThe union representing Hullo workers says the company has refused to fairly negotiate a first collective agreement, after workers became unionized nearly one year ago.Union representing Hullo workers says company has refused to fairly negotiate first collective agreementClaire Palmer · CBC News · Posted: Sep 02, 2025 6:16 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 hours agoHullo ferry workers have voted 91 per cent in favour of job action. (Ben Nelms/CBC)Workers with Hullo Ferries voted in favour of a strike on Tuesday, after a year of negotiations reached an impasse last week. In a landslide decision, 91 per cent of the more than 80 workers employed at Hullo supported job action.According to the B.C. Ferry and Marine Workers’ Union (BCFMWU), Hullo employees have been working without a collective agreement for more than a year, after 80 per cent of members voted to join the union last September.Workers agreed to vote on job action after the employer declared a bargaining impasse late last week. Workers are seeking fair wages, predictable schedules and job security, according to a union statement.In the past year, Vancouver Island Ferry Company, the parent company for Hullo, has only offered one counter offer, the union said.”We hope the employer will come back to the table and bargain fairly,” Eric McNeely, BCFMWU president, said in the press release.McNeely was not immediately available for further comment. In an emailed statement on Tuesday afternoon, Hullo Ferries said sailings will move forward as scheduled. “Safe, consistent, and reliable delivery of our service is paramount, while seeking a negotiated resolution that meets the needs of our employees and our business,” a company spokesperson said.Since Hullo Ferries launched in August 2023, it has increased sailings between Vancouver Island and the mainland for big events in Vancouver, like concerts and sports games. The BCFMWU represents more than 3,600 members, according to its website. McNeely said the vast majority of marine workers on B.C.’s coast are unionized.ABOUT THE AUTHORClaire Palmer is a video journalist in Nanaimo. Originally from Ontario, she spent three years in Golden, B.C., before joining CBC. You can contact her at claire.palmer@cbc.caWith files from Courtney Dickson
Hullo Ferries’ workers vote 91% in favour of job action
