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2004

Lay offs at Irish Ferries condemned

Date Released: 08 Dec 2004

SIPTU members have condemned the laying off of over 700 employees at Irish Ferries. Nevertheless, the Union is prepared to enter talks with management and agree substantial cost savings on the French service to ensure its survival," according to Union Branch Secretary, Paul Smyth.

"We believe that commitments given by the Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Pat the Cope Gallagher, to the Union on training and other initiatives would provide a platform which would help reduce the employment costs of Irish seafarers," he said.

"We are now once again calling on Irish Ferries to enter talks with SIPTU without preconditions in order to resolve this difficult dispute."

Mr. Smyth also stated that the advertisement taken out yesterday's papers contained a number of inaccuracies:

1. SIPTU officers are not on strike. They have been locked out by the management of Irish Ferries, who deliberately and without notice, cancelled services leaving passengers, freight and crews stranded in the UK.

2. The Ireland-France service has been making a profit - although it required major investment. The unions had already agreed to cost savings on the MV Normandy route in June and were prepared to cut costs even further following the planned review in October.

3. The unions' agreement to a severance package was on the clear understanding that discussions, due to take place in the Labour Relations Commission, would not include outsourcing.

4. Irish Ferries has given a contract to an agency without prior agreement with the unions.

5. The officers' secret ballot result was decisively in favour of strike action.

6. The officers' operating conditions are on a par with their colleagues in Stena Line.

7. The timing of the lock-out was not of the Union's making. but dictated by management.

8. SIPTU's agenda is to maintain the French service without replacing Irish seafarers with agency crews.

9. SIPTU's ratings members have now voted by an overwhelming majority to take industrial action in order to oppose outsourcing. The entire marine division of SIPTU - including officers and ratings - has now advised management of their opposition to outsourcing.





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