Less than a week after returning to work, the crew of the Spirit of Lax kw’alaams is going back to the picket line.
My information is, that after assurances from the Band that outstanding wages owed to the crew would be sorted out and they would be paid for hours worked,the crew went back to work last Saturday.
Now the band has already cheated them on the pay for their first day of work after the strike.
Seems to me this band has no interest in treating their workers fairly and are only interested in antagonizing their employees.
Is odd the band can spend probably 100s of thousands of dollars on sending councilors who have zero financial background to China and probably several other countries for business meetings, but refuses to pay workers that are trained and go to work every day providing them with a service.
They are also making a difficult situation for the Captain by getting him to run around town asking anyone that is qualified to be a scab to screw his co-workers. Neither the Captain nor the band have any of my respect.
The Ferry actually makes a fair profit
The crew has provided the Band Councillors
with the ferrys financial records that show a
Substantial positive cash flow
A summary of these records were brought to
Simpson and made available to the people at
A meeting there.
The information from the Ferry has made the
Band members don’t everything the band has said
about having tisubsidize the ferry
It’s about time band members grew a memory.
Who has continuously lied to them?
Who has routinely sacked people doing good work out there?
Who has mismanaged things to the point that INAC are doing a forensic audit?
Here’s a clue…it’s not the ferry crew.
[quote=“Rinko”]It’s about time band members grew a memory.
Who has continuously lied to them?
Who has routinely sacked people doing good work out there?
Who has mismanaged things to the point that INAC are doing a forensic audit?
Here’s a clue…it’s not the ferry crew.[/quote]
Too true,the crew works hard and do more than is ever asked of them when helping the elderly and infirm, sometimes to the point of injuring themselves.
They are not asking for much, just some respect from their employer and an acceptance that they are worth more than they are being paid.
It seems respect is something in short supply in Simpson when Band members get lawsuits slapped on them for questioning the Band Managers actions.
last spring the Ferry Crew started keeping their own financial records, if the pattern in years past has been that the boat has generated a positive cash flow,
Why are the Band Councillors claiming it loses money?
Since starting to pay attention to this issue I have heard the Band continually say, that the Ferry service loses money, the facts have proven them wrong.
Do all the Band Councillors actually believe this, or are they just parroting what they are told?
Aw geez. Keep the people down and govern without care and voila…an uprising happens. Say, what’s happening in the Arab nations?
[quote=“chookie”]Is odd the band can spend probably 100s of thousands of dollars on sending councilors who have zero financial background to China and probably several other countries for business meetings, but refuses to pay workers that are trained and go to work every day providing them with a service.
They are also making a difficult situation for the Captain by getting him to run around town asking anyone that is qualified to be a scab to screw his co-workers. Neither the Captain nor the band have any of my respect.[/quote]
Re the Captain
I wouldn’t be too hard on the Captain, he is management and is doing what he is told, (however distateful scabhunting may be to him personally).
he doesn’t have a Union to back him up and the only thing he can do is refuse and get fired for insubordiaton.
Now the Band is totally another topic they made the decision to order the Captain to find scabs citing hardship for the community, WHAT BS, where was the bands concern for their people when that boat was in refit for four months 18 months ago. The community had to just suck it up and go back to travelling in personal vessels, water taxis and seaplanes.
Total F—ING HYPOCRISY on the bands part.
What a shame, so much negative energy. Its time for the Chief and Councillors to question the management of their village. This village expects fair treatment from the gov’t, port or any other place they may have business agreements with, yet they don’t extend the same treatment or courtesy for their own employees? Their own band members? Doesn’t make a lot of sense does it.
You should be practising what you preach. Treat people the way you want to be treated – fairly, honestly, with dignity and respect. If you don’t have the courtesy to do this for your own employees, what precedent does that set for the people you do business with? People and businesses are watching how you do or not do business.
A good leadership should be someone, who stands up for their members, listens and has the wisdom to do the right thing for the people and the village. They don’t think of themselves only, or how it will benefit them. People should not have to fear their leadership/management, or feel bullied, harassed or even fear being personally sued for having, or voicing an opinion. This is like going back in history and having no rights. A good leader would not consider this acceptable treatment of “his” people or turn a blind eye to what his happening around him.
With everything happening, Chief/Councillors/Management should be looking in the mirror and asking your self: What am I doing for my people? Have I hired the right person to manage, if it’s still not settled? Are my people being treated fairly, with dignity and respect?! People shouldn’t be silenced because they have expectations of fair treatment or good leadership. It’s time to stand up for what is right.
The village is crippled without the ferry. Employees are not working, the business is losing money. The entire village is impacted, not just a few employees or families. If these employees accept unfair treatment, then they set a precedent for future employees (band members) and other employees of the village on how they will be treated. Take a look at the “big picture”, not how this affects one person, because it will affect everyone. This doesn’t sound like good business/management or leadership if no one is happy and you have your people turning on each other and people fearing for their jobs. Is this how you want to be treated? You should treat people the way you want to be treated.
Quote: (something to seriously think about)
“Wisdom is knowing the right path to take, Integrity is taking it” – M. H. Mckee