Concerning Washington state ferries captains.

SB 5059 clarifies the operational authority of Washington state ferry captains while changing their labor union representation. It allows ferry captains to vote by August 31, 2025, to join the existing "masters, mates, and pilots" bargaining unit (instead of maintaining a separate captains-only unit), effective July 1, 2026. If they choose this option, future collective bargaining agreements for captains will be negotiated under the combined unit for the 2027-2029 budget period. The bill directly affects Washington state ferry captains' labor representation structure and contract negotiations.