Sydney’s iconic ferries will stay docked for most of Wednesday as staff launch industrial action, stopping work for five hours before giving commuters free rides home in an escalating row over pay and working conditions.
Services across the harbour will be suspended between 9am and 2pm as members of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) walk off the job to assemble for a meeting, taking action against private operator Transdev.
Commuters travelling to and from Manly, Circular Quay, Parramatta and the rest of the Sydney fleet will be affected.
The union has been negotiating with Transdev – who operate the Sydney fleet – over a better enterprise bargaining agreement, asking for a five per cent increase, plus a yearly increase to keep up with rising inflation.
MUA Deputy Branch Secretary Paul Garrett apologised to commuters, but said they are “happy to escalate to get this fixed,” as workers have had to deal with a number of hurdles recently.
“Our members worked through Covid, worked through 13 boats that were built overseas and weren’t fit for purpose, and they’re looking for a wage increase. They do long hours, and they expect fair pay for the work they do,” he said.
Mr Garrett said Transdev Sydney Ferries hasn’t been able to get a proper wage offer on the table, as they seek proper wage indexing.
To soften the blow for travellers, Opal readers will be off from 2:00pm for the rest of the day, offering passengers a free trip, as a gesture to say sorry for the disruptions.
Mr Garrett said “ferries should be in public hands,” and it could be only the beginning of indefinite disruptions if a resolution isn’t reached quickly.
“We’re trying to deal with a private operator, but if they’re not prepared to meet with a serious offer, then we’ll have to take action accordingly.”