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brooklynite

(93,851 posts)
Thu Oct 14, 2021, 10:53 AM Oct 2021

Amid crew shortages, Washington State Ferries to cut sailings on some routes by half

Washington State Ferries announced late Wednesday afternoon it will impose cuts indefinitely to at least five routes, after failing to overcome a chronic lack of crew.

…snip…

The ferry system doesn’t have a short-term plan ready to alleviate crew shortages, but Sterling said one tool may be to invite retired ferry workers to return temporarily.

In addition to the maritime worker shortage, a state ferry can be canceled if even a few shifts go unfilled — for instance, a deckhand can’t replace an engine-room oiler, and an engineer can’t replace a mate who navigates.

The ferry system says it hired more than 150 new operating employees this year, but that training has been hampered by the pandemic. The agency also uses an antiquated system where entry-level workers are on call with unstable schedules. Also, reassignments are done through hundreds of phone calls by dispatchers on deadlines, rather than through an easier software system.

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/amid-crew-shortages-washington-state-ferries-to-cut-sailings-on-some-routes-by-half/
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Amid crew shortages, Washington State Ferries to cut sailings on some routes by half (Original Post) brooklynite Oct 2021 OP
Pay more! Stop the stingy pay jimfields33 Oct 2021 #1
These are Union jobs paying top dollar. brooklynite Oct 2021 #2
Yet nobody want them? jimfields33 Oct 2021 #3
Maybe they're requiring vaccinations. brooklynite Oct 2021 #4
That could be. Good point. jimfields33 Oct 2021 #5

jimfields33

(15,462 posts)
1. Pay more! Stop the stingy pay
Thu Oct 14, 2021, 11:26 AM
Oct 2021

You do that and you’ll have enough workers. Wish the powers that he would realize that. Greedy!!!!

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