BC Ferries workers ask for religious exemption from clean-shaven rule
A union representing marine workers is taking BC Ferries to task over one of the company's policies regarding facial hair.
Dan Kimmerly, president of the Ships Officers’ Component of the BC Ferry & Marine Workers' Union, says three employees are looking for religious exemptions from the policy that men must be clean-shaven
"The members that we’re directly representing in this specific instance right now are from the Sikh community," Kimmerly said.
All employees are expected to have clean-shaven faces in case they need to wear masks while fighting fires on the vessel, but Kimmerly says the policy differs depending on where in the company employees are located.
"Captains are usually OK and some chief engineers, as well, depending on the type of vessel that they’re working on," he said. "Shipboard employees is mostly where we see the clean-shaven policy, also in some of the trades."
Kimmerly says marine workers in other companies are permitted the exemption and one of the workers BC Ferries won't allow on a vessel is working elsewhere.
"One of the workers is off working for another company in Canada right now, so they’re able to [be] gainfully employed for another company. However, they would like to work in B.C. for BC Ferries and they can’t," he said.
According to BC Ferries spokesperson Deborah Marshall, the regulation surrounding beards actually comes from WorkSafeBC.
"They need to be clean-shaven in order to don a self-contained breathing apparatus and that’s in the event of, say, an engine room that was filled with smoke," she said. "You wouldn’t want somebody to not have a proper seal and facial hair can compromise the seal so it’s actually putting the worker at risk."
Manpreet Singh has been with BC Ferries for four years as a first engineer. He was told to leave the vessel he was working on because of his beard and he initially complied.
"My mother-in-law, my father-in-law they all went against me: 'Why are you clean shaven?'" he said. "I’ve never shaved in my whole life. Even my kids say, 'Why did you shave it?' For bread and butter I have to do it," he said.
Singh says he began refusing to shave and has been off work since February or March of this year. He said he is still being paid his base wage to stay home as opposed to his full salary but he says he wants to sail again.
The 50-year-old says he has worked as an engineer for his entire career, working with American, Middle Eastern and Canadian companies but says BC Ferries appears to be the only one that won’t provide religious exemptions for beards.
"The people on my ship, they all had beards and nobody objects," Singh said. "On the commercial ships in Canada, people are keeping their beards. In [the] Canadian navy, people are keeping [their] beard. Then what’s the difference in BC Ferries?"
British Columbia's Office of the Human Rights Commissioner said it has not received any complaints on the issue so it couldn’t comment on the matter.
Singh says he offered to spend $4,000 of his own money to purchase specialized masks but his offer hasn’t been accepted by BC Ferries.
"I used to work on chemical tankers and oil tankers and they are much more dangerous because there are noxious gases and everything," he said. "We used to keep the beard and put the mask on top."
Singh and the union maintain that medical and religious exemptions should be permitted, especially given the fact BC Ferries is having a hard time finding qualified personnel to work on its vessels.
"All we’re asking for is the company to allow certain exemptions from the policy," Kimmerly said. "There’s usually one [exemption request] ongoing at any one time where somebody is either seeking an accommodation or having their work altered because of either belief or medical [issue]."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Iran fires air defence batteries in provinces as explosions heard near Isfahan
Iran fired air defence batteries early Friday morning as explosions could be heard near a major air base near Isfahan, raising fears of a possible Israeli strike following Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.