JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — As the state continues to negotiate contracts with unions for ferry system workers, a Senate committee on Tuesday advanced a bill that would lower pay for the system’s Alaska-based employees by eliminating cost-of-living differentials.

A provision that dates back decades allows differentials to be paid to employees living in Alaska, as opposed to those living out of state, with the minimum salary based on Seattle’s cost of living. The Alaska Marine Highway System spans more than 3,500 miles, from Bellingham, Wash., to Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and employs workers who live outside Alaska.