Alaska ferry strike leaves operators scrambling

A private ferry operator in Haines, Alaska, says she is "slammed" with summer bookings and may have to bring in another boat to keep up with demand as a ferry strike in the state enters its third day.

"I got to the office at 5 o'clock this morning and I've been returning calls and booking people ever since I got here, and we were here until 9 o'clock last night," said Alison Jacobson with Alaska Fjordlineson Thursday.

"It's just [a] constant flow of people, constant phones and emails."

Alaska Fjordlines is running extra trips on its usual route between Skagway, Haines and Juneau. The 48-passenger boat does not take cars, meaning that American travellers without passports can't get between Skagway and Haines. By land, the trip requires travelling through Canada.

Jacobson said her company is doing all it can to accommodate everyone, but between the usual summer tourist rush, the Southeast Alaska State Fair this weekend, and now the ferry strike, it's unclear how long they can keep up the pace.

'It's quite a mess'

"We're just trying to take care of people just in the next few days, but we are getting slammed with reservations through the rest of the season as well," she said.

"It's quite a mess. People [are] stuck in all kinds of places but we're trying to do what we can."

Members of the Inlandboatmen's Union of the Pacificwalked off the job Wednesday. The union and the State of Alaska can't agree on a new contract and are far apart on wage demands and mandatory overtime.

Robb Arnold, a union spokesman, said wages and health care are side issues compared with how he said workers are treated. He said workers are frustrated by a lack of communication on what cuts to the ferry system budget could mean for them.

The state government said Thursday the strike is illegal, and it warned striking workers they could be fired or face losing their health insurance if the job action continues.

Other arrangements

All ferries with the Alaska Marine Highway System are now tied up at docks around the state. Meadow Bailey, a spokesperson with the state's transportation department, said officials are trying to help stranded travellers.

"We're doing our best to rebook or accommodate people who are having their travel plans and whose travel plans are disrupted right now," she said.

"But there's definitely a lot of moving pieces right now and we don't know how long this will last."