Inland ferry dispute threatens to strand Kootenay residents [Video]

As negotiations between two Interior B.C. ferry operators come to a head, hundreds of commuters in the Kootenays worry job action could mean lengthy delays on their way to work. 

On Tuesday, the B.C. General Employees Union (BCGEU)  issued 72-hours strike notice, putting it in a position to shut down seven ferry routes crossing Kootenay Lake, Arrow Lakes, and a handful of small rivers in the area as early as Thursday evening. 

That action was delayed after the union’s employers filed a request with B.C.’s Labour Relations Board, applying to have the ferries designated an essential service. The union confirmed to CBC News Thursday afternoon that this means services will not be affected through the weekend.

But the dispute is causing uncertainty for the hundreds of B.C. residents who rely on the ferries to access jobs, schools and services.

Megan Rokeby-Thomas, owner of Ladybug Coffee near the Kootenay Bay ferry …