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"The Associated Press

Many people have heard about the problems with the ferry system: the lawsuit that slowed down the high-speed Chinook, the ramming of the Orcas Island dock by the ferry Elwha.

But all in all, the state ferry system says 1999 was a banner year.

Washington State Ferries reports that boats completed their trips on time in 99 percent of cases and that cancellations were kept to a minimum.

There were 190,000 sailings during the year, and about 3,300 cancellations. Forty percent of the canceled trips were because of the damaged dock at Orcas; less than a third were because of vessel breakdowns, ferry officials said."

This compares to a 77.7% on time arrival rate for the airline industry (notorious for overestimating their arrival time JUST so they can arrive on or ahead of "schedule").

-- Patrick (patrick1142@yahoo.com), February 16, 2000

Answers

WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES Privatization bill passes Senate By Ed Friedrich, Sun Staff

Ferry unions will try to kill the bill in the House. The passenger-only ferry bill slipped organized labor's grip and moved to the House on Tuesday.

The Senate passed Substitute Bill 6212 by a vote of 35-13, just hours before it needed to change houses. It had been tied up in the Rules Committee for three days while ferry unions garnered support to change it.

They didn't get it.

The unions believe the bill encourages privatization of foot ferries and doesn't protect union workers.

The state has proposed to eliminate its passenger ferry program July 1 if the Legislature fails to provide more money to run it. SSB6212 clears the way for another entity to operate the state's old runs, in addition to others.

Labor's alternative bill would have removed private companies from consideration.

"They'd like to see the private alternative completely eliminated, and I'm sure they're going to try to do that in the House," said Sen. Tim Sheldon, D-Potlatch, the bill's prime sponsor.

"All the bill did was set up a framework. That framework could certainly include labor, and I don't think they should feel threatened by it."

They do. The state labor council sent letters to the Democratic caucus, encouraging legislators to vote no. Thirteen did.

"We're not done," said David Freiboth, president of the Inlandboatmen's Union. "We've got friends in the House who are going to remember the friends who supported them in their elections. I guess we've got a problem in the Senate. There are people who we thought supported labor issues who don't." http://www.thesunlink.com/news/2000/february/0216a1a.html

-- Craig Carson (craigcar@crosswinds.net), February 16, 2000.


to Craig: You left out other parts of the news article. This part is music to my ears:

"The bill places governance of passenger ferries with the state Utilities and Transportation Commission. The UTC would choose operators based upon their capabilities, and award five-year permits. Service would have to be started within a year."

This may spell the demise of the new Narrows bridge. As the private investors were counting on being able to squelch the threat of competition via the WSDOT stranglehold of transportation alternatives.

Yahoo! There is justice, after all.

-- Matthew M. Warren (mattinsky@msn.com), February 17, 2000.


"We're not done," said David Freiboth, president of the Inlandboatmen's Union. "We've got friends in the House who are going to remember the friends who supported them in their elections. I guess we've got a problem in the Senate. There are people who we thought supported labor issues who don't." "

LOL. The union, given the choice between government and corporate negotiators, would rather deal with the government. I can't say I blame them. If I was in their shoes, I too would much rather deal with someone motivated by fear (tough labor negotiators highly-placed in a Democratic administration are oxymorons) as opposed to someone motivated by the bottom line.

To be fair, you could frame this differently and say that (WRT transportation services) a "tough labor negotiator" is actually a negative thing and we'd be better served with more cooperative negotiators.

It's probable that the window you choose depends on your goals--efficient and effective operation or harmonious labor relations and uninterrupted service.

-- Brad (knotwell@my-deja.com), February 17, 2000.


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