Bermuda’s ferry workers will hold one of their famous “rush hour” meetings tomorrow to consider strike action in support of the pilot who was recently convicted of driving the ferry while drunk.
Marine and Ports has fired the pilot. The BIU says Government should find him another job.
There are indeed many sides to the story. Government has to do something as the incident has created a disincentive for people to avail themselves of Government’s considerable investment in public transportation. At the same time, it’s clear that quite a few players were not taking responsibility.
At the time of the arrest, the pilot had considerable quantities of alcohol in his possession … likely indicating a larger problem than a one day drinking spree. It’s not like he was hiding away at home - he was drinking on the job.
Many companies in Bermuda proactively direct employees into “employee assistance programmes” for counselling … does the BIU or Government provide such for their members/workers? I don’t see anything in the CBA.
Given the importance of safety in his job, why didn’t someone identify the issue and have the responsibility to reach out before he hit the dock? Supervisor, shop steward, or co-worker … someone knew what was happening.