Alcatraz Cruises workers ratify first contract
94% approve contract with wage gains, pension for workers
After reaching a tentative agreement on a first contract at the end of December, workers at Alcatraz Cruises in San Francisco voted overwhelmingly to ratify the agreement with 94 percent voting in the affirmative. The approximately 100 workers at Alcatraz Cruises are represented by the Inlandboatmen’s Union of the Pacific (IBU), the Marine Division of the ILWU.
The victory comes after nearly two years of bargaining. In their agreement, workers won significant wage gains, access to the IBU health care and pension programs, and a fair and predictable scheduling system. The bargaining unit includes captains, first officers, deckhands, food and beverage workers, engineers, mechanics, custodians, guest service agents, and tram drivers.
Tristan Senft a First Officer at Alcatraz Cruises and member of the
bargaining committee said the hard-won victory shows what workers can
achieve when they stand together and fight for their rights.
“Workers have been fighting for a union at Alcatraz Cruises since September of 2022 and have been trying to get an agreement with the employer since January of 2023,” Senft said. “Our employer pushed hard on us to give in, but my coworkers had the strength and courage to stand their ground. It is an honor to work alongside them, and I look forward to what the future holds.”
“I appreciate the stability and the extra power the union brings that
gives us a voice in the workplace,” added captain Ian Tucker. “We’ve got good people here and we are all family. We have to take care of each other. I am grateful to our negotiating committee and all of the workers who put in the blood, sweat, and tears to make this happen.”
During the contract fight, workers went out on four Unfair Labor Practices (ULP) strikes. Members of IBU and Bay Area ILWU locals walked the picket lines with workers in solidarity and many customers asked for refunds from the company to show their support. Workers also spoke in front of the San Francisco Board of
Supervisors and San Francisco Port Commission, built support with Alcatraz ferry passengers, held rallies on the Embarcadero, and pressured the
company in Southern California and New York.
San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin was a steadfast ally throughout this fight, from walking the picket line to passing a resolution in support of Alcatraz workers to helping deliver petitions to Hornblower management demanding a fair contract. Workers also received support from Supervisor Dean Preston who
walked the picket lines with workers multiple times. The International
Indian Treaty Council supported workers during their Thanksgiving Sunrise
Gathering on Alcatraz Island.
“We are very pleased with this long-awaited and hard-won outcome,” said IBU President Robert Estrada. “These workers have taken hold of their future, gaining strong wages, improved benefits, far better conditions, and a livable schedule as a reward for unwavering tenacity and ultimate solidarity. I couldn’t be more proud of them. International Organizer Evan McLaughlin and IBU Regional Director Marina Secchitano were an amazing leadership team to have at my side throughout. It
was a long road.”
Workers will receive wage increases of up to 35 percent over the life of the contract. The wage package achieves parity with the other union ferry workers working in the San Francisco Bay at Blue and Gold Fleet and Golden Gate Ferry.
“I’ve been on the negotiating committee for the past two years,” said
Brain Dobruck, a captain who has been with Alcatraz Cruises for 10 years. “It
was a lot of work to make this union a reality. I am glad we were able to win a
pension for all of the workers and also win significant wage increases. It was a hard road to get here but good things don’t come easy.”
In 2006, Hornblower was awarded the contract to operate the ferries to
Alcatraz Island by the Bush Administration’s National Park Service. The contract had previously been held by the union company, Blue and Gold Fleet. Starting in 1973 when Alcatraz first opened to tourists until 2006, the ferries taking tourists to Alcatraz had been staffed by union deckhands represented by the IBU. Two attempts to organize deckhands on the ferry service in 2007 and 2010 fell short. As a result of this organizing victory, the ferry service to Alcatraz Island will once again be staffed by union workers.
“It’s important for us to have a seat at the table. Having a union enables us to get a little more control over our lives and schedules,” said deckhand and negotiating committee member Jack Calvin. “Helping to organize this union has been one of the most rewarding things I have done in my life and I am incredibly proud of what we have done here. My advice to anyone who wants to organize a union is to stay
in the fight and don’t be discouraged. You will have setbacks and it will be
difficult but in the end, it’s incredibly rewarding.”