‘You’ve lost my support’: Jake and Spike clash over apparent ferry sick-out

An apparent sick-out that canceled major Washington State Ferries sailings Monday divided KIRO hosts Jake Skorheim and Spike O’Neill over whether disrupting travel was an acceptable way for workers to push for better pay.

“As soon as I saw the story, I went, ‘You’ve lost my support,'” Jake said on “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio.

A spokesperson told KIRO Newsradio 23 engineers called out sick and their replacements refused to report for duty. The cancellations left thousands of passengers stranded amid what appeared to be a widespread engineer sick-out.

Jake argued that workers should make their case without shutting down transportation people depend on. Spike expressed sympathy for their pay concerns but warned that prolonged disruption could turn the public against them.

Spike sees an opportunity to make workers’ case

“They want level pay with their other workers in this industry and in this fleet,” Spike said. “You may win public sentiment, showing just how valuable you are to this system.”

But he cautioned that interfering with people’s ability to commute or putting their safety at risk could cost workers that support.

Jake jokingly boiled down Spike’s position to a deadline.

“So your support for them lasts a day,” Jake said.

“It’s a 24-hour support,” Spike quipped, but noted his broader point that public sympathy could fade as the disruption continued.

‘These are roads’: Jake says ferry shutdown hurts commuters

Jake framed the cancellations as more than an inconvenience, emphasizing the ferry system’s role in connecting people to work and essential services.

“I don’t want you striking and shutting down what are essentially state highways. These are roads. People need to be able to get through,” Jake said.

He identified emergency vehicles and commuters as his primary concerns. He also described messages from listeners who stayed home because driving around would have taken hours.

Spike shared his appreciation for the ferries, even as the hosts disagreed over the apparent sick-out.

“It’s a great system. I use it as often as I can,” Spike said.

Both questioned whether the sick calls and lack of replacement workers were coincidental. Spike pointed to the inability to fill the positions as a central reason the disruption spread.

Jake questions consequences for work stoppages

Jake speculated that a lack of consequences for past public-sector work stoppages had encouraged the apparent sick-out. He urged workers to seek higher pay without disrupting travel.

“Make that argument, but don’t shut down the roads,” Jake said.

He doubted commuters would tolerate an extended shutdown.

“If it lasts more than a day, I would be surprised, but we will find out,” Jake said.

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to “The Jake and Spike Show” weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio 97.3