Irish Ferries yesterday began laying off staff as a strike by ships' officers got under way.
About 140 seafaring staff were the first to be laid off, while a review of shore-based operations could result in further lay-offs this evening. The strike by SIPTU members is in response to a decision by the company to outsource crew next year on its MV Normandy service between Rosslare and France.
The union yesterday accused the company of "locking out" crews who were "stranded" in Britain after the company cancelled sailings from Holyhead and Pembroke on Sunday. The company said it ensured that all of the crew involved were transported home with other carriers.
There was no move yesterday to start talks on the dispute, despite a call last week by the Minister of State for the Marine, Mr Pat "the Cope" Gallagher, for the parties to engage in immediate discussions.
The Irish Road Haulage Association has warned that there is little spare capacity on other ferry services at this time of the year, and exporters to Britain would be badly hit by a prolonged dispute.
Irish Ferries employs 1,200 people, about a third of them in shore-based operations and the remainder on its ferries. Mr Alf McGrath, director of human resources, said the company would not be rushing into laying people off. Managers had begun a process of identifying vital services that needed to be maintained, and the picture would be clearer by this evening.
It was likely, however, that lay-offs of some ground staff would begin today. Staff who were rostered to take over from existing crews tomorrow would also be laid off "automatically", he said. Staff were placed on protective notice last week.
SIPTU official Mr Paul Smyth said the union had repeatedly told the company it was prepared to meet it and Government officials to discuss the issue of costs on the continental route. But he said the union would not discuss outsourcing crew.
The union believes the Government has a role to play given that Irish Ferries' competitor on the route, Brittany Ferries, is subsidised by local and regional government in France.
SIPTU is seeking to explore ways in which the Government can support Irish Ferries to help create a "level playing field".
Irish Ferries says its continental service had become increasingly uncompetitive and it had no option but to outsource employment on the route to maintain the service. It declined to name the agency contracted to supply the employees when the service resumes next spring, but says it will be a "fully qualified EU crew".