PORT TOWNSEND — While reservations already made for the Port Townsend-Coupeville ferry are not affected, the ongoing crew shortage on the Washington State Ferries has closed the gate on any more Labor Day weekend reservations.
A rumored job action, if it materializes, could exacerbate the situation.
No new reservations are being taken for sailings Friday through Monday, ferry system government relations director John Vezina announced. In addition to the Port Townsend route, the Anacortes-San Juan Islands ferries also are closed to new reservations Friday through Monday.
Existing reservations for this weekend will hold, Vezina said, but passengers should expect long boarding lines, delays and possible canceled sailings.
Reservations will resume for ferry travel after Monday. Information can be found at www.wsdot.com/ferries.
Washington State Ferries has struggled with crew shortages all year.
And now, system spokesman Ian Sterling said, “rumors are flying” about a job action this weekend in protest of Gov. Jay Inslee’s vaccine mandate for ferry workers.
The mandate, issued Aug. 9, means ferry system employees — and most state workers — must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 18 or risk losing their jobs.
The governor’s mandate also applies to long-term care facility employees and other health care workers.
Sterling added it’s not legal for ferry workers to go on strike.
“We’re hoping it’s just rumors,” he said.
In a letter to ferry system employees, WSF Assistant Secretary Patty Rubstello, Chief of Staff Nicole McIntosh and members of the Maritime Labor Coalition addressed the possibility.
“For our frontline coworkers that may be considering taking personal action that may disrupt ferry operations in order to protest the state’s vaccine requirement,” Rubstello wrote, “please consider that any action that increases the pressure on the Dispatch system puts an unfair burden on your fellow employees to try to fill your duties.
“It also is detrimental to the traveling public who depend on us.”
For many months now, Port Townsend has had reduced service to and from Coupeville: one boat instead of the usual two. That’s one of the impacts of the pandemic-era crew shortage, Sterling said.
“Make sure you’re flexible with which sailing you’re on,” and seek alternate routes, he advised.
This weekend, the busiest sailings will likely be westbound, or onto an island, today through Saturday, and then eastbound, or off island, Sunday through Tuesday. To reduce or eliminate waiting, riders may consider taking an early morning or late-night sailing or walking on.
“We suspended reservations [this weekend] so we can have as much reliability for customers who already have reservations,” Sterling said.
Staffing shortfalls continue to affect other ferry routes. In addition to possible last-minute sailing cancellations, routes with modified schedules include:
• Seattle/Bainbridge, Seattle/Bremerton and Mukilteo/Clinton: final daily round trip is suspended.
• Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth: Two-boat service instead of three on Sundays only; late-night sailings suspended.
• Edmonds/Kingston: Final round trip suspended on Fridays and Saturdays only.
• Anacortes/Friday Harbor/Sidney, British Columbia: Suspended until 2022.
Sterling praised the workers who have stayed on the job through the pandemic.
“Crews have worked heroically,” he said, adding they have given up vacations and days off.
Many ferry workers are in favor of the governor’s vaccine mandate, Sterling added.
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Jefferson County senior reporter Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-417-3509 or durbanidelapaz@peninsuladailynews.com.
