A series of strikes have disrupted Sydney wire-drawn ferry services. 

The Maritime Union of Australia has initiated one-hour shutdowns across key ferry crossings this week, including Berowra Waters, Wisemans Ferry, Webbs Creek, Sackville, and Mortlake, significantly affecting travel times and plans.

Monday saw the closure of the Berowra Waters ferry in northern Sydney from 11 am, marking the beginning of the industrial action. 

This disruption is expected to continue, with the Webbs Creek service in Sydney's north-west scheduled to shut down from 11 am to midday on Tuesday.

The heart of this dispute lies in the ongoing pay negotiations between the ferry operators' employer, Birdon, and the maritime union. 

Union organiser Shane Reside told reporters: “These operators are being paid the absolute legal minimum that the company can get away with”. 

The union is fighting for the ferry operators, who are currently paid $29 an hour, to receive wages equivalent to road traffic controllers, who earn about $46 an hour. 

“These ferry operators, in addition to being responsible for directing traffic on and off the ferry, need to operate these very large punts across the river unassisted,” Mr Reside explained.

“The low pay means the company is struggling to attract new operators and is using traffic controllers to assist operations.”

The impact of the strikes extends beyond the ferry services themselves. 

Transport for NSW has warned that the closure of the Webbs Creek ferry on Tuesday could add as much as 50 minutes to southbound journey times. 

Similarly, a shutdown at Berowra Waters would require commuters to take a 20-kilometre detour to the Galston Gorge bridge crossing.

Despite these significant disruptions, emergency services will remain unaffected, according to Transport for NSW.