Two companies have used the COVID-19 pandemic to justify mass sackings of ferry workers, who were not given any notice or option to take special leave.
NRMA sacked about 50 workers from Manly Fast Ferry and Fantasea Cruising. The SeaLink Travel Group, that operates 13 vessels on Sydney Harbour under the Captain Cook Cruise brand, sacked about 130 staff.
The and the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) Sydney Branch organised a car cavalcade to converge on the NRMA office in Olympic Park on March 27.
MUA聽branch secretary Paul McAleer said on March 25 NRMA had informed the casual maritime crew in the middle of the night by email that they had been sacked, effective immediately.
鈥淒espite years of loyal service, these crew members are facing financial ruin, with their jobs gone overnight and management refusing to provide any financial assistance during their time of greatest need,鈥 McAleer said.
While the union is prepared to work with employers to deliver job security during the crisis, McAleer said, it would also demand justice from 鈥渁ny company that attempts to use the pandemic to undermine the economic and industrial interests of our members鈥.
McAleer pointed out that SeaLink and NRMA are large organisations 鈥渨ith massive cash reserves鈥. They have 鈥渃apacity to provide assistance to their workers ... but instead have made a deliberate choice not to help them鈥.
He said that while casual workers have been the first to be sacked, 鈥渘either company has provided any commitment to retain permanent staff, or provide financial assistance if there is a stand down.
鈥淭hat indicates that a lot more jobs are at risk,鈥 McAleer said.
The convoy of about 30 cars, flying MUA flags and promoting messages including 鈥淐asual workers鈥 rights now鈥 and 鈥淪afety not sackings鈥, weaved its way through Olympic Park to the NRMA offices, where it stopped to sound horns and hear from speakers.
Former Fast Ferries worker Jordi Ortin said: 鈥淪o many workers been stood down and are now at home struggling to pay rent and feed kids.
"The government is not offering enough. We need more from NRMA. We need help to pay bills.鈥
McAleer told the protest that companies must be condemned for 鈥渆conomic crimes committed on behalf of big business and their mates in government.
鈥淲e have shown today that there is a movement that is fighting back against these attacks. We will continue the fight until we get the justice we deserve.鈥
The car convoy blockaded the NRMA offices for one and a half聽hours.
The protest was organised as part of a COVID-19 day of action for workers鈥 rights and health. Actions also took place outside a Centrelink office and the Real Estate Institute of New South Wales in Sydney鈥檚 CBD.