Three Conservative MPs say the federal government has “failed to show leadership” as strike action looms at Marine Atlantic.

Conciliation expired in the contract negotiations between the Crown corporation and UNIFOR on Monday. Both sides are now in a “cooling off” period, with a strike or lockout not possible for a few more weeks.

The ferry service is a critical link that connects Newfoundland and Labrador to the rest of the country, ensuring the movement of goods into and out of the province.

In a joint statement, MPs Carol Anstey, Jonathan Rowe, and Clifford Small say that warning signs of a possible service disruption were “impossible to ignore,” and Newfoundlanders and Labradorians will have to “pay the price” for a lack of leadership if service is disrupted.

Anstey says they respect the collective bargaining process, but the situation is “extremely frustrating and…concerning.”