It’s not just a fishious rumour - the owners of SeaLife Aquarium really are treating staff like carp.
They’re paid only $22.76 an hour, most without any penalty rates, even though the company made $228 million profit last year. Meanwhale, CEO and Executive pay went up to the tuna of 36%! What a load of pollocks! They’re just being shellfish, and their claim that they can’t afford to pay a living wage is just like an anchovy - a little fishy. Shorely the people who work hard to care for the animals and run the venues deserve moray. Until the employer, Merlin Entertainment, gives workers a fair deal, tell them ‘tanks but no tanks’ and that you won’t be visiting the aquarium. Once you’ve fin-ished that, if you eely want to help, it would be turtley awesome if you cod fillet out the pledge at uwu.org.au/ynx. If you’ve haddock with greedy employers ripping off workers, don’t mullet over - get kraken and make sure Merlin Entertainment is herring your wrasse by sharing this with your friends.
What is Sea Life?
Sea Life is the Melbourne Aquarium, owned by Merlin Entertainment. Merlin Entertainments is a multi-national company that own major brands such as SeaLife, WildLife and Madam Tussaud’s.
We think it’s only fair that the money you spend visiting Sealife goes to supporting the people who do the hard work caring for the animals and running the venues. Unfortunately, that is not the case, Merlin workers in Australia are being refused a living wage.
Merlin aquarium workers are paid just $22.76/hr, mostly without penalty rates on weekends. What's worse, the new offer Merlin has put to workers would mean workers would cop a 4-5% real wage cut. Meanwhile, CEO and executive pay jumped 36% last year.
Sea Life workers - many of whom are young and casual - are standing together in solidarity against the outrageous greed of their employer, to demand a fair deal for everyone. Said one worker: "I struggle to live on the casual rate and would not be able to survive on the permanent wages."
What can I do?
Merlin Entertainment needs to see that there is a cost associated with denying workers a living wage. Boycott Sea Life Melbourne until Merlin offers workers a fair deal. And sign the pledge!