(The Center Square) – Hundreds of Washington state ferry workers are calling for higher pay and better staffing.
The Marine Engineer Beneficial Association, or MEBA, is the union that represents engine room employees. MEBA contends other deck-level ferry worker unions have been given bigger raises in the last year.
The union argues below-deck workers are equally critical to the system and deserve better pay, insisting on raises of up to 20%.
MEBA is currently bargaining with the state Office of Financial Management, which according to an OFM email sent to The Center Square, is also bargaining with, “approximately 30 other groups of represented state workers.”
The email goes on to say, “Because bargaining is ongoing, we are not able to comment on specifics, but we continue to have confidence in the bargaining process and that we will come to a successful resolution with the parties.”
Any tentative ferry agreement will be submitted to the OFM director by Oct. 1. The OFM director will then determine if the agreements are financially feasible for the contract that would take effect July 1, 2025.