UNIONISTS have rallied at Station Pier to protest conditions of crew members working for Carnival Cruises in Australian waters.
As reported this week in DCN, the Maritime Union of Australia says Carnival Cruises is paying its crew as little as $2.50 an hour to work on its three Australia-based cruise ships.
The rally was staged to coincide with the arrival in Melbourne of cruise ship Carnival Adventure, with many passengers on their way to the Australian Open.
MUA Sydney branch organiser Shane Reside said the thing “that was extraordinary… was that the crew on board aren’t actually from Australia”.
“Now that’s fine, we welcome people from all over the world, we’re part of the global economy, we’ve got no issue with those people being here,” he said.
“But it is the terms upon Carnival brings them.”
He said crews were flown in from some of the poorest economies in the world including Indonesia, Philippines and India.
“Here’s the kicker, despite sailing the Australian coast and using Australian ports, carrying Australian passengers who are paying Australian fares, crew on these ships are being paid as little as $2.50 an hour,” Mr Reside said, prompting cries of “shame” from the gathering.
Victorian Trades Hall Council assistant secretary Danae Bosler criticised billionaires for “doing whatever they can to make a buck off the back of workers because they think we’re not looking”.
“Well, we have a message for Carnival Cruises, we are looking,” she said.
Victorian upper house MP Tom McIntosh was among the speakers and spoke of “how hard people work on these boats (sic)”.
“It is those people we are here for,” he said.