Covid 19 coronavirus: Fullers ferry boss sends scathing 3am email to staff

A senior manager at an Auckland transport company has sent a scathing work email at 3.10am, telling disgruntled staff to "go and do something else" if they aren't up to the job.

Fullers360 fleet operations manager Megan Watson sent a lengthy group message to workers at the ferry and tourism business venting her frustration over staff complaints about operations not yet returning to normal after the Covid lockdown.

Saying she penned the directive with "a heavy heart", Watson offloaded how "sad and exhausted" she was about the company's situation post-lockdown but mostly with the prevailing view from many workers that "we should be back to normal".

"Seriously, do none of you read the news?" she told staff, in an email later shared to the Fair Go Fullers Facebook group for ferry users.

"There is no normal."

Watson wrote that management at the company were weary from the relentless tide of admonishment from staff which had seen the engagement team come "under fire", including being taken to the company's human resources department and chief executive officer.

"We are tired and sad - as we spend most of our time working to keep you in a job," the email said.

"We should be working together to make the best of this - not expecting our lives and work to be exactly the same as it was pre-worldwide pandemic.

The email to staff was posted on a Facebook page.

"Let's be clear - it's not business as normal. We are not running the same schedules or numbers as last year and anyone who thinks or says we are is in lala land," adding she would be "fascinated" to see data if anyone thought this were possible.

Watson also warned workers they would continue to be in a state of flux for some time and - in block capitals - emphasised this was something that would be hard for everyone.

Then came the stinging rebuke.

"I get it - if you aren't up for it - cool - go do something else - otherwise stay and working with us for a future = be on the journey [sic].

"Let me know - seriously - for the long haul - are you in or are you out?" she finished.

Fullers has been approached for comment.