Ferry workers to strike during Friday peak hours

Brisbane ferries will not operate during Friday’s morning peak while members of the maritime union take protected strike action.CityCat services between 8am and 10am will be cut that day amid negotiations between the Australian Maritime Union and the boats’ operator, RiverCity Ferries, a subsidiary of Kelsian, which also operates Sealink Travel.CityCats will stop running at whichever stop they are closest to at 8am.Julius DennisSigns posted by the council at terminals across the city say ferries will stop running at whichever stop they are closest to at 8am, with commuters urged to plan ahead to get to work on time.“From 10am the services will resume progressively, with some delays expected while the network returns to normal,” the signs read.The Translink app is also displaying a warning about the action.The strike comes as part of wider industrial action that will run for the week from Friday, that will include cancelled services and ticketing equipment not being available.A union spokesperson said 95 per cent of its members had voted against adopting the company’s latest pay and conditions offer.“RiverCity Ferries won’t even match the Fair Work Commission’s own 4.75 per cent annual wage review increase or keep pace with inflation, claiming it is ‘not viable’ – all the while its parent company Kelsian Group’s own financial reports show substantial increases in revenue and profit,” the statement said.“The company’s CEO, executive leadership team and board have all received significant increases to their pay packages while our highly skilled and committed members that deliver the company’s service to the Brisbane public every day are being asked to accept an offer below inflation.”A RiverCity Ferries spokesperson said they were disappointed services would be disrupted.The signs have been posted at terminals around the city. Julius Dennis“We have been bargaining with the unions and employee representatives since October 2025 and remain committed to negotiating in good faith towards a fair and sustainable enterprise agreement,” they said.“Our priority is to maintain safe and reliable ferry services wherever possible and minimise disruption to customers. We are working closely with Brisbane City Council and Translink to communicate any service impacts and to restore services as soon as possible.”More:Public TransportTrade unionsSealink Travel GroupBrisbaneFrom our partners