The workers have refused to leave the port in Devonport until their questions are answered.

State Opposition Leader Bryan Green has said the crew members will lose their jobs to overseas workers.

Speaking at the peaceful protest yesterday Mr Green said he supported protesters who were fighting to save the jobs of the workers.

‘‘This whole campaign shows an example to the country how we need to fight for Australian jobs.

‘‘What I can see here is a system which is being well and truly undermined by sacking Australian workers for low-paid workers.’’

Mr Green questioned the motives of Caltex for sacking the crew of the Alexander Spirit.

‘‘They claim it’s all about cost-cutting but modelling shows the cost per litre of fuel to maintain an Australian seafarer instead of a foreign one is minuscule, it wouldn’t even register at the petrol pump,’’ Mr Green said.

‘‘Local petrol prices, which are some of the highest in the country, have barely shifted in the past year despite global oil prices being the lowest in more than six years, so forgive me if I am cynical about Caltex’s reasoning behind their decision.’’

A crew member from the Alexander Spirit said most of the workers will be facing forced redundancies and a lot of them had taken the news hard.

‘‘They have already done this previously back in February with the Hugli Spirit,’’ they said.

‘‘A lot of the workers are taking this really hard, one bloke had been through this with the Hugli Spirit and thought he had a job here for the long term.

‘‘He’s recently bought a house and has a child on the way so this will have a pretty big impact on him.’’

Retired seaman Bob Johnson from Devonport attended the  protest and said he hoped the workers had their questions answered and he was concerned that Australian jobs were being lost.

‘‘Australian jobs are being taken away in favour of slave labour,’’ Mr Johnson said.

A lot of people with experience in the industry attended the community picket including Devonport man Paddy Chamberlain with 42 years’ experience at sea.

‘‘My heart goes out to all the men and women who are facing an uncertain future,’’ Mr Chamberlain said.

‘‘It is a very difficult industry and doing this doesn’t make things cheaper, it just puts a bigger profit into the hands of people high up.’’