Rick Hughes urges Governor, OFM and MEBA to resolve their differences
A CNL2 VIDEO IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE
Friday, August 9, 2024
Rick Hughes is a candidate for San Juan County Council district 2 (Orcas). He asked for time on CNL2 Wednesday afternoon to address the state of Washington State Ferry in the San Juans. But he wanted to stress that he was not speaking primarily as a candidate, but as a business owner and a citizen of the islands.
Hughes has been interviewed by CNL2 on the subject of ferries several times this year, but this time Hughes’ tone was completely different.
He specifically urged Governor Jay Inslee to lead the State’s Office of Financial Management (OFM) to find an amicable resolution with the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (MEBA), the union that represents the 400 engineers on WSF vessels.
This CNL2 video is approximately 18 minutes in duration.
Rick Hughes got very close to touching on the fact the State fired ferry workers in 2021 that need to be made whole in returning to work. But I am disappointed no one is suggesting that the inter-island ferry becomes an Anacortes tie-up (where shifts begin and end in Anacortes) so we aren’t having to rely on shuffling crews out to Friday Harbor.