Ferry workers stand up to intimidation

In a first, Brisbane ferry workers have taken industrial action. For four hours on the morning of 10 November, workers turned off ticket machines and refused to collect fares from commuters who use Brisbane’s network of ferries.

One of those involved told Red Flag that their action would have cost ferry operator Transdev $50,000 in lost fares. “Fourteen thousand people use the ferries every day”, they said, “and 60 percent of the workforce took the action”.

In enterprise agreement negotiations, Transdev has been attacking penalty rates and overtime. It is pushing for an agreement that could cut real wages by 20 percent.

“They’ve [Transdev] put more effort into hindering the workers than helping them reach a fair EBA”, Maritime Union of Australia organiser Paul Petersen told Red Flag.

Peterson said he received reports that Transdev sent security officers equipped with handcuffs and batons onto some of the ferries while workers were taking action. “I also saw managers get onto the ferries and try to intimidate workers not to take the legal, protected action”, he said. “We countered this by having at least 17 activists, one on each ferry, flying MUA flags in a sign of solidarity.”

A rally was held the same day to take the dispute to Brisbane City Council, which contracts the ferry service to Transdev. Later that week, the union also held a rally at the Bulimba Festival, and is threatening further industrial action.

“If the company comes back with the same rhetoric, there will be more protected action”, Petersen said.

He’s confident that the workers will win. “We’ll take the fight as far as we have to take it”, he said.