Dept. of Transp. v. Inlandboatmen's Union

# Washington State Ferries Labor Case Summary **What Happened** Washington State Ferries assigned emergency evacuation duties to workers employed by Marriott (a contractor) instead of giving these jobs to union members from the Inlandboatmen's Union (IBU). The ferry system made this decision without discussing it with the union first, which violated a labor agreement between the employer and union. **What the Court Decided** The Court of Appeals agreed with the Marine Employees' Commission that the ferries committed an unfair labor practice. The court ruled that the employer cannot simply reassign work away from union workers to non-union contractors without negotiating with the union. This decision was upheld on appeal. **Why This Matters** This case protects union workers' job security and bargaining rights. It establishes that employers cannot bypass union agreements by quietly shifting work to outside contractors or non-union employees. Workers represented by unions have the right to know about and discuss major job changes that affect their positions. This ruling reinforces that employers must negotiate significant workplace decisions with their workers' representatives rather than making unilateral changes.