Ferries in the West Kootenay will remain in operation as labour bargaining for a new collective agreement turns to mediation.

The B.C. General Employees Union had previously issued a 72-hour strike notice to Western Pacific Marine and WaterBridge Ferries that was set to expire Thursday.

But Western Pacific Marine said in a statement that vessels would continue to run ahead of mediation next week with each party and the Labour Board of British Columbia.

Western Pacific Marine operates the Kootenay Lake ferry that runs between Balfour and Kootenay Bay, as well as two cable ferries at Harrop and Glade. WaterBridge meanwhile runs four ferries: the Upper Arrow Lake route between Shelter Bay and Galena Bay, the Needles Ferry between Fauquier and Needles, the Arrow Park Ferry at the junction of Upper and Lower Arrow Lakes, and the Adams Lake Ferry between Chase and Sorrento northeast of Kamloops.

The union represents 80 employees of Western Pacific Marine in various roles such as ferry operators, engineers, deckhands, terminal attendants and masters. A further 90 employees work for WaterBridge.

Earlier this month the union announced its Western Pacific Marine members had voted 97 per cent in favour of a strike mandate.