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Bc Ferries

Dagg

By Dagg
in Canada

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tirediron

+tirediron

Posted
Posted
;) If we welded them all end to end, going from Horseshoe Bay to Duke Point, couldn't we pretty much turn them into a bridge and drive to/from the mainland? That way the poor muffins wouldn't have to go on strike all the time to increase their [sarcasm] woefully inadequate [/sarcasm] wages. and I wouldn't have to wait in line for hours at a time!
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Dagg

+Dagg

Posted
  • Author
Posted

So. If I want to get off the island...I could fly $100.no car on the other side. I could Hellijet $150.no car on the other side. I could take the ferry to Washington and drive up to Vancouver.?$$$$

 

Hmmmm anyone want to come throw rocks at some GREEDY SOB'S with me?

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The Big Kid

The Big Kid

Posted
Posted

plan A::D I'm in for rock throwing B)

 

Plan B: Just need to convince my boss that we could make money with this, we could move a car at a time, charge extra for people to ride in car........

 

Solve some of the defence budget problems over time.!

 

Plan C: :lol: Anybody know how to drive a ferry? :o Too bad I didn't by the fast cats when they were up for sale, be a good thing now.

 

Welcome to Vancouver Island, largest of the hostages, enjoy your stay, Good luck leaving.

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KimAndMollie

KimAndMollie

Posted
Posted
NO BRIDGE!!!!!

 

No Union!

 

my 2cents

Hear hear! I'll probably get roasted for saying this, but unions have outlived their usefulness. They were good in the 20's and 30's when workers were being abused, but now their purpose seems to be more about guaranteeing jobs for union leaders, less about the workers, and the people they're supposed to be providing the 'service' for. We live on an island by choice, granted, but should we be punished for it? No! :lol:

 

My .02

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GroundClutter

+GroundClutter

Posted
Posted

Ooh Ooh, gotta add something cache related or get this deemed off topic....

ok....ummm....let's say that there is a multi cache that requires taking a ferry to one of the local islands. How are we gonna do that now?!?! I think that the ferries should certainly be deemed an essential service. While I may not be in full support of the union, I think I have to agree with them to the extent that the government should have kept their oars out until a reasonable course of bargaining took place. It's too soon for a cooling off period.

 

ps..... NOOOOO BRIDGE!!! :lol:

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Jomarac5

Jomarac5

Posted
Posted
Curious George wrote:

Let's fire up one of them puppies and take it for a spin. Free White Spot burgers all around, and we can stop and do some caches along the way 

Mmmm... White Spot burgers. Can I bring my water skis? I hear that the ferries are fast enough if you put the throttle wide open.

 

Oh yeah, I'll see if I can spot any caches on the shore while we're screaming by. :lol:

 

*****

Geo 97V

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Peregrine007

Peregrine007

Posted
Posted

I'm all in for some rock throwing - if we start at each end (with enough rocks) eventually we won't need the ferries anyways!

 

Can't they do all this in the summer? At least the weather is more conducive to other transportation options (read: kayaking!).

 

Sooo.... what's wrong with a bridge? I'd have no problem with a toll being the same as what the ferries are now - at least your travel time would be cut by about 3 hours! And, "ferry traffic" would be a thing of the past.... They say $5B would do it.

 

Dear TEAM:

 

:lol::o

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Gorak

+Gorak

Posted
Posted

Arrrr! String the mutinous dogs from the yard arm! Keelhaul the scurvy union swabs! Slap 'em in irons an' consign 'em to the slave galley! Arrr!

 

[ontopic]Anyone ever thought of hiding a cache on a BC Ferry?[/ontopic]

 

___________

Gorak

Geo 73 84B

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Solar Max

+Solar Max

Posted
Posted
While I may not be in full support of the union, I think I have to agree with them to the extent that the government should have kept their oars out until a reasonable course of bargaining took place. It's too soon for a cooling off period.

I find it quite curious that they have had since October to find a settlement, yet the union walked away from the table each time. Yes, it's time for a cooling off period. Yes, the Government has the right to legislate anybody back to work, and Yes, you have the right to vote for somebody else. I have the right to use a highway/ferry system that I helped pay for. And remember this ? Comrade Glen and his $455 million Fast Cats. Or has everyone conveniently forgotten how bad our LAST Government was? And has anybody figured out what the union even WANTS??? They sure aren't telling.

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Capitalpete

+Capitalpete

Posted
Posted

:lol:

 

Well, I guess it is a good thing that I have my own boat!

 

This just proves that we should really have a better alternative to DRIVING YOUR CAR on the ferry.

 

Personally I would like to see a commuter ferry that would go from downtown Victoria to downtown Vancouver. I for one try NOT to use our car as much as possible (hate to pay for gas, money wasted on gas taxes etc etc the usual stuff, and oh yea, not good for the eviroment) so I would be one who supports this sort of business.

 

I would take the passenger ferry to downtown Vancouver to go to a hockey game or get away for the weekend. I hate the idea of taking a car, just for the privilege of waiting in line, driving on, waiting in line to drive off and then paying for parking downtown Vancouver.

 

I don't like what this is going to do the the island retailers, but I DO FULLY SUPPORT THE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR BC FERRIES, they have every right to take action, even if it does inconvenience people for a while.

 

Anyway, that is just my take on it.

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Peregrine007

Peregrine007

Posted
Posted
:lol:

 

...Personally I would like to see a commuter ferry that would go from downtown Victoria to downtown Vancouver...

As much as that might seem like a viable and usable alternative, it's not practical. A quick glance at a map will show you that a down-town to down-town route would be a LOT of extra mileage, which translates to a very long travelling time for what is essentially a pretty short distance. BC Ferries announced a while ago that they were trying to make each run pay for itself, so that some runs weren't subsidizing others (as much as they had been in the past, at least!). If that's really a goal they plan on persuing, then your proposed route would be extremely expensive to operate and those costs would be passed on to the consumer. Huge costs would push more people to pay the relatively small difference to take a seaplane or helijet trip.

 

As much as the idea may not be popular, travelling by boat is low-tech and somewhat passe. In our fast-paced world, I think more fixed-link options will be presented in circumstances like this one (an obvious example is the EuroTunnel). I'm not saying it's the best way, but many would argue it's the most viable.

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Gorak

+Gorak

Posted
Posted
As much as that might seem like a viable and usable alternative, it's not practical. A quick glance at a map will show you that a down-town to down-town route would be a LOT of extra mileage, which translates to a very long travelling time for what is essentially a pretty short distance.

Remember the old CP Ferry that used to go from downtown to downtown, complete with bar service? That was the way to go! :lol:

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Team Giblert

+Team Giblert

Posted
Posted

I should know better, but I can't resist replying.

 

1) The union are being idiots not complying with the cooling off period

2) The management (and the government pulling the strings behind the scenes) are complete idiots thinking that the workers will happily agree to:

a) a longer work week (changing some of the time they currently get in OT to regular)..

b ) a reduction in the rate of OT (from 2x to 1.5x)

c) a reduction for any new hire to 70% of the current scale

d) contracting out all land-based services

 

#1 is going to kill Jackie and her union, and ...

 

#2, it's pretty hard to swallow a pay cut after the CEO and higher management just gave themself a pay-raise. In the GEU & HEU agreements, they took 0% and a paycut respectively to maintain staffing levels, whereas the BC Ferry Services are offering the double whammy of a pay-cut and cutting jobs, a pretty unrealistic approach to bargaining..

 

BTW Gordo, if you wanted the ability to legislate them back to work, you shouldn't have privitised it, should you? You can't have it both ways.

 

FACTS (not well advertised by anyone):

As for those people that are complaining about white-spot staff getting $22/hr, let's remember that the reason there are 48 staff members on board a (S class) ferry is that it's required by transport canada in the same way you need 3 flight attendants and two crew on a Boeing 737. Try calling a flight attendant a 'waitress' and see what happens. Add to that it generally takes 5 years of casual employment to get an FT job on a ferry (often a lot more), and that a good chunk of the training you need you have to pay for.

 

Those 'burger flippers' are profitable. Download the Ferry Corp's annual report and see that catering makes about 50% profit. Not a bad side business when the staff have to be on board anyway.

 

The BC population may pay for some of the ferries, but over-charging on the Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen route pays for 33% of all the subsidies to BC Ferries, which is basicly a hidden tax on the residents of Victoria.

 

Huh you say? Well, SwB -> Tsw is WILDLY profitible. In the last report from BC Ferries, it made $35m profit on $135m in ticket sales, and all of that profit (over charging) Victoria residents goes to subsidize other routes. (only Hsb->Nan also makes a profit, around $4-5m)

 

And this from someone who rides the ferries enough for the ticket people to not have to ask me where I'm going, they know me...

 

Scott

Team Giblert

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GroundClutter

+GroundClutter

Posted
Posted

Yes, it's time for a cooling off period. Yes, the Government has the right to legislate anybody back to work, and Yes, you have the right to vote for somebody else.

 

 

In my opinion, there was no need to impose a cooling off period. There was essential service, with full service planned for the Christmas week. Now there is nothing.

 

Of course the Government can legislate them back to work. That's probably what they are going to have to do now, inflaming the situation even more.

 

Yep, we can vote for someone else too. Doesn't help us now though.

 

Interesting to note, that now that it is an illegal strike, replacement workers can be hired. I think the union might have cut off their nose to spite their face.

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eroyd

+eroyd

Posted
Posted

Well I suppose we should reduce subsidies/or service to the smaller routes. Living on a Gulf Island is a lot more of a LIFESTYLE CHOICE than living on Vancouver Island. It's pretty evident that properties on the islands are being scooped up by the wealthy for their luxury retreats. The few that have lived there all along probably don't need to, or even want to commute all that much. So make these routes pay what they're worth. Of course profits from Geocachers commuting to some of the more remote destinations on the off season could really turn finances around.

 

Still, I feel these ferry workers are well compensated for what they do and it wouldn't hurt for them to suck their belts in a little for the good of their own employer. Kind of like many of us had to do during the reign of the previous gov't.

 

Regardless, the Law of the Land has been broken, only the picketers look bad now!

 

Other than missing a few cachemachines. the tossing of a bottle and a potential shortage of AA Batteries, this strike should effect geocachers too much.

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Geosophers

+Geosophers

Posted
Posted

The strike may be a slight annoyance at the moment. But the day that this government and corporations get what they want and get a two class system where most get payed the minimun that is allowed by law, we will look back at this and say "Man, those were the good old days. I remember when people could get a decent wage working in this province".

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Dagg

+Dagg

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

GET BACK TO WORK!

Slight annoyance? Is it a slight annoyance for the mother who has to take her kid to childrens hospital? Is it a slight annoyance for the merchant who will go broke without produce? Is it a slight annoyance for the kids on the gulf islands that can't get to school?

 

 

GET BACK TO WORK! :lol:

Edited by cache-tech
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cachewidow

cachewidow

Posted
Posted (edited)

There are decent wages, and then there are standing jokes. Having lived my entire life on the island, in the thick of union country, the long-standing joke has been you get with ferries/bctel/bcgeu & you're set for life. The rest of us just try to keep our heads above water. Yet, I do think I enjoy a good standard of living, I have decent housing, I have enough to eat, I can afford health care and life insurance, my kids have new clothes for school and presents under the tree. A whole lotta people would trade places with me, not to mention landing a dream job with a union. Am I anti-union? In the sense that the present situation is way out of proportion to the way most people have to live, yeah, I'm anti-union. Flame on. Bring on the bridge.

edit: BTW, eroyd could build it without help. :lol:

Edited by cachewidow
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Curious George

Curious George

Posted
Posted

Regardless of where you stand on the issue I think the real point is that we live on an island ergo the ferries are an essential service. Sure there may be a few alternatives, but they are not accessable, affordable or convenient for everyone.

As an essential service a minimum service level must be maintained, even when there is an ongoing labour dispute.

 

How would everyone feel of Hydro went on strike and turned the power off - would that be a minor inconvenience ??

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eroyd

+eroyd

Posted
Posted

"Go solar", an interesting thought that kind of brings us back to Geocaching but off this topic. With all our GPSr's, PDA's, laptops, sat. phones, rangefinders, pegfinders, metal detector's, portable weather stations to name a few, has anyone come up with a portable solar unit that could recharge or even run these gadgets?

 

The Spirit Class ferries are loaded with hightech gadgets including multi GPSr's to not only navigate the ship but to also aide in docking etc. Heck, most of us people have to pay to play with such gadgetry.

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Jomarac5

Jomarac5

Posted
Posted
GET BACK TO WORK!

Slight annoyance? Is it a slight annoyance for the mother who has to take her kid to childrens hospital? Is it a slight annoyance for the merchant who will go broke without produce? Is it a slight annoyance for the kids on the gulf islands that can't get to school?

 

GET BACK TO WORK! :lol:

I find your post slightly annoying. :o

 

*****

Geo 91 36

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Jomarac5

Jomarac5

Posted
Posted
I use one of these

I found an article in the latest See Kayaker magazine (December) that shows how to build your own Solar Battery Charger -- and it's waterproof.

 

I'd send you a copy of it, but with no ferry service, well... you know...

 

Seriously though, it's the only waterproof charger that I've seen -- great for paddling.

 

*****

Geo 35

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