Further strike action at Irish Ferries is likely in the new year, Siptu warned today.
Talks at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) broke up yesterday and are due to resume on January 5th, but Branch secretary Mr Paul Smyth is pessimistic about the chances of resolving the dispute over outsourcing.
He told ireland.comthat the company is "deliberately frustrating" efforts to find a resolution to the dispute that earlier this month saw sailings suspended for nearly two weeks and several hundred workers temporarily laid off.
The National Implementation Body (NIB) intervened and both sides agreed to talks at the LRC - and the Labour Court if necessary.
But Mr Smyth says the company is not observing the NIB recommendation that efforts be made to find a "viable" basis for operating the MV Normandyon the Rosslare - France route.
The company wants to outsource staff on the vessel saying the cost base is too high to compete with low-cost airlines, while its seagoing competitor, Brittany Ferries, receives a subsidy paid by the French government.
It is understood that the Government is open to providing some kind of financial assistance to the company in recognition of the cultural need to sustain an Irish seafaring tradition.
But Mr Smyth believes the company ultimately wants to outsource work to low-cost foreign labour on all its vessels and is not willing to co-operate with the union's efforts to find a cost-effective way of operating the Rosslare-France route.
He said the company is not providing proper financial information to the union during discussions at the LRC and "continually move the goal posts" in relation to cost savings needed.
"I'm not optimistic that the company will work towards a viable plan. I think they just want outsourcing," Mr Smyth said.
The situation was exacerbated last Friday when the company removed the Irish flag from the Normandyand replaced it with a Flag of Convenience (FoC).
The move was condemned today by International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) inspector, Mr Tony Ayton who said changing the vessel to a Bahaman registration meant that workers aboard will not be protected by Irish labour legislation.
"The FoC system allows savage cost cutting by introducing low wages, inadequate staffing levels, poor shipboard conditions and serious exploitation of seafarers of many different nationalities.
"The re-registration and re-flagging of the vessel is an insult to Irish seafarers, to the principle of quality employment and to our national legislators who work to protect workers," Mr Ayton said.