News: 25-08-2005 Herald Sun "Ferry crew in high spirits"

Herald-Sun 25-08-2005

Ferry crew in high spirits
Matt Cunningham
25aug05

FIVE crew members from the ship Spirit of Tasmania have tested positive to drugs.
The members were caught last week when the company conducted random drug screening of its staff.
Four of the crew members have been suspended, while a fifth member has been cleared.

Spirit chief executive Peter Simmons would not comment yesterday, but spokeswoman Christina Koullas said five people had tested positive.

Staff on deck include bar, restaurant and cleaning staff and operational staff.

"The crew members that tested positive were not operations staff," Ms Koullas said.

"They were stood down immediately after testing positive and are receiving counselling."

The company introduced random drug testing in June.

Ms Koullas would not say which substances the crew tested positive for. It is believed the matter will be dealt with internally.

Safety for passengers and crew was a priority, Ms Koullas said.


Peace LOve and Mungbeans

Hospitality staff on drugs? Never!

Drug testing non-operational cruise ship staff just increases your employee turn-over and nothing else.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha, Fired then forced to goto a counseller. As if all their councsellers when they got off the ship wasn't there ten foot bongs.

at least they weren't drunk!

The biggest party people I've met in my life have been in the hospitality industry. And the best restaurants tend to always have a percentage of drug taking staff.

Perhaps it's the stress they have to face with difficult customers, or perhaps it's responsible for the creative element of the kitchen staff? Who knows?

I think if you took the drugs out of the restaurant business, we'd all have to go back to bland and sloppily presented meals more reminiscent of Faulty Towers Dining