PORT MELBOURNE, VIC. — The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) has called for MEAA members to join a protest at Station Peir tomorrow, Wednesday, January 21.
Speaking on behalf of the MEAA, Nicholas Hope, Equity Organiser, has called for members to “please join the rally at 8am on Wednesday, January 21, at Station Pier, Port Melbourne, to protest the major exploitation of Carnival Cruise workers.
“Carnival Cruises has three cruise ships permanently stationed in Australia, that are exploiting a loophole in the Coastal Trading Act which allows them to fly in crew from some of the poorest economies on earth and pay them as little as $2.50 per hour to work along the Australian coast, with Australian passengers, docking in Australian ports,” Hope said in a statement to MEAA members.
“This is some of the worst labour exploitation ever seen in Australia, and it’s happening right under our noses,” Hope said.
The Maritime Union of Australia notified Carnival Cruises that we want Union agreements for these three Australian vessels, but despite two meetings with the head office in Miami, the company is refusing to budge.
Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) Organiser Shane Reside said: “Carnival Cruises is paying its crew as little as $2.50 an hour to work on its Australian cruise ships. It’s disgusting – this has got to be the worst labour exploitation we have ever seen, and it’s happening in plain sight”.
Danae Bosler, Assistant Secretary at Victorian Trades Hall Council (VTHC) said “There is not a single ordinary Victorian who thinks that paying people $2.50 an hour to work in Australia is okay. This is such an extreme example of what billionaires will try and get away with if they think no one is looking. The Victorian union movement has a message for Carnival Cruises: if you think you can bring your ships of shame to Melbourne without a fight you’ve got another thing coming”.
Adam Portelli, deputy Chief Executive of the MEAA stated that “there are many Australian performers, musicians and backstage crew working on these ships alongside the international crew.”
“MEAA has a number of workers employed by Carnival Cruises, and we need to show support. No one working for an Australian-based business should be paid that low.
“On Wednesday at 8am, the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) will be demonstrating at Station Pier in Port Melbourne to show that ordinary working Victorians will not cop it,” Hope said
MEAA officials will also be present to give support.
“We are calling on the labour movement to join us at the rally, to show the strength of protest against this exploitation,” Hope said.
Carnival Cruises did not respond to a request for comment.
