Workers at White Pass & Yukon Route vote to authorize possible strike

Workers on the White Pass & Yukon Route railway have voted to authorize possible strike action, citing a six-year wait for wage increases and potential job cuts.

The company — based in Skagway, Alaska — runs scenic train routes for tourists, including some that bring visitors into the Yukon from the U.S.

Jason Guiler is the general chairman for SMART Transportation Division Local 1626, the union representing engineers, conductors and brakemen on the railroad. Union members make up close to 30 workers out of about 250 White Pass and Yukon Route (WPYR) employees.

The union says if strike action is taken, no trains can operate.

Guiler said the workers haven't had a wage increase since 2017. After six years of what he called "minimal" negotiations, the union and the company began a formal mediation process earlier this year. That process has been ongoing.

A three-day mediation session last weekend didn't result in an agreement, Guiler added, and the process has stalled. Union members voted to authorize the strike late last week, giving them the option to strike if they choose.

Members meet again Friday evening to discuss next steps.

"I think it's a real shame that there is a divide right now between the company and its employees," Guiler said. "We take pride in the work that we do."

Even given the vote results, a strike can't happen right away.

The company and union have been assigned a national mediator, Guiler explained. If the parties can't reach an agreement, union members must be released by the mediator and wait at least an obligatory 30-day cooling-off period before they can strike.

White Pass and Yukon Route was purchased by Klondike Holdings in August 2018. The ownership group includes Survey Point Holdings and Carnival Corporation, according to WPYR's website.

"(Ownership) has not been willing to come to an agreement with us," Guiler said. "So that collective bargaining agreement that was initially written for the years 2014 through 2017 is still in place today."

Conductor Bryan Saul said the workers are frustrated and demoralized.

"We're not asking for much; the main thing is we want to keep pace with inflation and the cost of living," Saul said.