Oct 6, 2026 · 54 min · 13 segments
There is a crisis in elder care worldwide. The population of people aged 65 and older is expected to nearly double by 2060 and many countries are facing serious questions about how to support such a…
Libby DenkmannHost
Jacob RobbinsGuestDavid KromanHostGustavo Sagrero AlvarezThis is not a, a coordinated effort by any means.
What's happened here is this is a system that's held together with gum and duct tape.
That was Marine Engineer Benefit Association union leader Roland Rexha speaking with KOMO News yesterday.
He was talking about the chaos that struck the state ferry system on Monday, uh, essentially denying that it was the result of at least a top-down, uh, coordinated sickout by engineers.
... uh, that it, there wasn't any coordination at all, but he's saying basically the union wasn't directing it.
There is a difference between, yeah, again, like top-down union leadership coordination-
Um, as of this, this moment, it appears that our ferry system is back to something at least resembling normal operations.
There were a few cancellations this morning, but it was nothing like it was yesterday, where we had 13 of 18 ferries out of service after more than 20 engineers, I think it was 23, called out sick.
When, uh, management went to fill those, uh, sick positions, the, the other engineers basically said no, um, which is why Libby and I are finding it a little bit hard to believe that this was not at least on some level cor, a coordinated sickout.
Um, you know, a- as a result, entire routes yesterday were shuttered, including the busiest in the whole system, the Bainbridge-Seattle route.
As you heard, uh, the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association says it, it wasn't a coordinated effort, and the union, it should be said, is not in active negotiations with the state.
Um, but we have, you know, a- as a result of yesterday, heard about a lot of, uh, grievances, although may- maybe not literal grievances, but, um, frustrations a- among engineers, particularly around pay and, and raises that they say they did not get in the last round of negotiations, and then this question of staffing because, you know, if you remember, there are pretty strict Coast Guard requirements around when these boats can sail.
You need a very, um, it's a very hard floor on how many engineers you can have on board.
It's something in the range of 75 for the whole system, usually around four per boat, and if you don't hit that, then the, the, the ship can't sail.
And so they're saying basically what is happening right now is the state is leaning way too heavily on mandatory overtime by people working there, and, and they think that, you know, at, at least, uh, one union representative called that system abusive.
Uh, they said, quote, "Using overtime volunteers to meet minimum safety requirements is irresponsible.
This is not a, a coordinated effort by any means.
What's happened here is this is a system that's held together with gum and duct tape.
That was Marine Engineer Benefit Association union leader Roland Rexha speaking with KOMO News yesterday.
He was talking about the chaos that struck the state ferry system on Monday, uh, essentially denying that it was the result of at least a top-down, uh, coordinated sickout by engineers.
... uh, that it, there wasn't any coordination at all, but he's saying basically the union wasn't directing it.
There is a difference between, yeah, again, like top-down union leadership coordination-
Um, as of this, this moment, it appears that our ferry system is back to something at least resembling normal operations.
There were a few cancellations this morning, but it was nothing like it was yesterday, where we had 13 of 18 ferries out of service after more than 20 engineers, I think it was 23, called out sick.
When, uh, management went to fill those, uh, sick positions, the, the other engineers basically said no, um, which is why Libby and I are finding it a little bit hard to believe that this was not at least on some level cor, a coordinated sickout.
Um, you know, a- as a result, entire routes yesterday were shuttered, including the busiest in the whole system, the Bainbridge-Seattle route.
As you heard, uh, the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association says it, it wasn't a coordinated effort, and the union, it should be said, is not in active negotiations with the state.
Um, but we have, you know, a- as a result of yesterday, heard about a lot of, uh, grievances, although may- maybe not literal grievances, but, um, frustrations a- among engineers, particularly around pay and, and raises that they say they did not get in the last round of negotiations, and then this question of staffing because, you know, if you remember, there are pretty strict Coast Guard requirements around when these boats can sail.
You need a very, um, it's a very hard floor on how many engineers you can have on board.
It's something in the range of 75 for the whole system, usually around four per boat, and if you don't hit that, then the, the, the ship can't sail.
And so they're saying basically what is happening right now is the state is leaning way too heavily on mandatory overtime by people working there, and, and they think that, you know, at, at least, uh, one union representative called that system abusive.
Uh, they said, quote, "Using overtime volunteers to meet minimum safety requirements is irresponsible.
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