Bill would let Washington State Ferries captains vote to rejoin pilots' bargaining unit

Senate Bill 5059 would let Washington State Ferries captains vote this year on whether to be included in a combined Masters, Mates and Pilots bargaining unit.

The bill, presented to the Senate Transportation Committee on Jan. 20, 2025, would authorize a vote by Aug. 31, 2025; if the captains vote to join the combined unit, the Public Employee Relations Commission would certify the combined bargaining unit effective July 1, 2026 for the 2027-29 collective bargaining cycle. If the vote fails, current bargaining structures would remain in place, staff said.

The committee heard a staff report from committee analyst Jenna Forti, who summarized the bill and the statutory background, including a 2011 law that separated ferry captains into a different bargaining unit. "Before you today is Senate Bill 5059 concerning Washington State Ferry Captains," Forti told the committee, and she explained that the current structure has captains represented by Masters, Mates and Pilots but executing separate contracts from their mates.

Dan Tohig, who identified himself as vice president of the International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots (Pacific Maritime Region) and a former Washington State Ferries deck officer, said he drafted the bill and called it a straightforward, technical change. "It's a technical bill that basically makes the operations of the state more efficient. It's a no cost bill. As a matter of fact, it will save significant money on both sides," Tohig said, adding he has seen the issue for 13 years.

Forti told the committee a fiscal note had been requested but was not available at the time of the hearing. Committee members asked no substantive questions during the hearing portion recorded in the transcript. Committee staff recorded 118 pro sign-ins and eight con sign-ins for the public hearing; the committee closed the public hearing following testimony.

The bill itself only sets the process and timeline for a membership vote and subsequent certification; it does not change bargaining terms or set funding levels beyond existing collective bargaining processes administered by the Office of Financial Management and subject to legislative funding decisions.

The committee did not take a final vote on SB 5059 at the Jan. 20 hearing. The bill remains before the Transportation Committee for further action and fiscal review.