SIPTU members on the new £29 million Irish Ferries Jonathan Swift are to meet this afternoon to review their position in a dispute over staffing levels that has kept the vessel idle for the past few weeks.
The company has issued written warnings to some of the officers that they face disciplinary proceedings if they refuse to accept a Labour Court recommendation on staffing levels for the new fast ferry.
Both sides seem set on a collision course that could seriously disrupt cross-channel sailings and lead to the lay-off of up to 1,400 employees as the holiday season approaches its peak.
The officers rejected a Labour Court peace plan a month ago in a secret ballot. Talks to resolve the dispute broke down only hours before the vessel was due to make its maiden voyage on the Dublin-Holyhead route on June 15th.
The principal objections to the plan were that the new staffing levels proposed would require officers to work 28 days extra each year, and it would also create a two-tier staffing ratio within the company.
Last Friday the company issued warning notices to seven of the 18 ship's officers on the Jonathan Swift. Most of the officers do not appear to have received them that day, but it is likely that all of them will have done so by today's meeting.
SIPTU has told the company that all ship's officers with the company will take industrial action if members on the Jonathan Swift are disciplined. It has issued strike notice for July 3rd.
The company has said that the Jonathan Swift will be taken out of service if the officers refuse to operate the new schedules from July 3rd. It is also understood to be planning to lay off its entire workforce on the Irish Sea if SIPTU members on other ships take action in support of their colleagues. The company's continental service is not affected as SIPTU members on this route have a separate agreement.
Mr Brian Fitzgerald, SIPTU's branch secretary, yesterday said that he did not wish to anticipate events by speculating on what might happen. "Today's meeting is only to see where things stand," he said.
On the issue of disciplinary proceedings being initiated, he said: "If they [the company] take the action, they know the consequences." Resistance to the lower staffing levels on the fast ferry was further fuelled by the fact that other fast-ferry operators on the Irish Sea had had to improve conditions because of the shortage of ship's officers.
Altogether, some 140 people have been recruited and specially trained to crew the Jonathan Swift.
Most of the other 1,300 employees in danger of lay-off are members of SIPTU.