Strike by 23 Staffers Leaves Blue-State Commuters Stranded – Too Bad State Fired 120 Staffers for Vax Refusal

Remember when the left wished the worst ills upon those who refused the vaccine mandate — including loss of job?

Also, remember the old idiom that you should be careful what you wish for, because you just may get it?

My guess is that the functionaries at Washington State Ferries don’t, or at least won’t recognize their lesson — because, after losing over 120 crew members due to vaccine mandates, they were brought to their knees by just 23 employees organizing a sick-out strike.

According to local NPR affiliate KUOW, “[t]housands of ferry riders in the Puget Sound region were left in the lurch Monday morning as major routes and dozens of sailings were canceled.

“Nearly two dozen engine room employees called out sick, according to the state, and backup crew declined to fill in. The union representing the workers said Monday’s shutdown highlighted Washington State Ferries’ failure to hire more staff.”

The outlet said that “dozens of sailings were upended Monday” due to the sick-out, with only a few boats in operation.

Washington State Ferries said on X that not only had the employees called out, but all employees qualified to keep the boats running declined to help out.

“All of the employees calling in sick, and declining to fill those vacancies, are represented by the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (MEBA) who represent engine room employees,” WSF said.

All of the employees calling in sick, and declining to fill those vacancies, are represented by the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (MEBA) who represent engine room employees. (2/6)

— Washington State Ferries (@wsferries) October 5, 2026

As a result, all but five of the ships were out of service.

The employees who work in the engine room play a vital role in providing WSF’s safe service, which is why Chief Engineers have a base salary of $157,000, and can make more than $350,000 a year with overtime, as well as annual sick and vacation leave, and retirement accrual. (4/6)

— Washington State Ferries (@wsferries) October 5, 2026

When those positions aren’t filled, the boat cannot sail, which is what we’re experiencing today across 13 of the 18 vessels currently in service. (6/6)

— Washington State Ferries (@wsferries) October 5, 2026

If only there was something they could have done to avoid this. Oh, wait:

@wsferries Any of the 121 you fired for not taking an experimental shot willing to work ??? https://t.co/ad8Tq4eFAh

— jerry anderson (@VotePro2A) October 5, 2026

Fact check: Accurate. From a 2022 Washington State Ferries workforce planning report:

First, the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated pre-existing labor shortages in the maritime labor market. An estimated 3.2 million workers nationwide left the labor market between 2019 and 2021, impacting every sector of the economy. Second, WSF was particularly hard hit by employees not complying with the state vaccine mandates. It lost 120 crew members or approximately 6% of its operational workforce. Not only is this nearly double the state employees’ rate of 3.2%, but the losses were also concentrated in critical occupations: 20 oilers and 40 temporary assistant engineers left their positions.

This sounds bad — and worse when you look at the numbers from a separate report on overtime analysis from 2021:

121 workers separated and 8 retired (60% of separations) 6.8% of WSF workforce stopped working because of the vaccine mandate … 11% of Oilers and 35.7% of Assistant Engineers separated.

Now, would any of these individuals made a significant difference? I doubt they would have hurt, particularly given the number of engine-room specialists that could simply bring WSF to its knees — just two-dozen.

Again, this is what the American left wanted in 2021 and 2022. They wanted people’s heads on a pike if they didn’t take an experimental vaccine. They got their wish, career-wise, at Washington State Ferries. And now we’re supposed to believe that they’re sorry, or at least care about staffing levels?

This is a government organization in one of the bluest corners in America — both in terms of politics and waterways that need to be straddled. Now, they get bit in the behind, years after the fact, by the mask-and-jab brigade, which has moved onto other, fresher causes.

Meanwhile, the language the Washington State Ferries information office used was telling, too. Who knows how long they’ve been operating barely above the very minimum Coast Guard requirements? Just look at that phrasing. Glad you managed to feel so safe from the unvaxxed, Seattleites. Sorry about your public transit system at all, but you know what they say about omelettes. Or you would, if you didn’t eat vegan eggs.

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.