Officers at Irish Ferries begin balloting today on a return to strike action in a dispute over the company's attempt to outsource crews on its Rosslare-Cherbourg route.
The Siptu workers have accepted a Labour Court recommendation on resolving the long-running row - which saw sailing suspended for ten days in December.
Service on the route was due to resume today after a winter break, but the company announced yesterday that sailings had been postponed until next week for "operational and technical" reasons.
Officers on all routes are being balloted after the company indicated it would not accept the recommendation that ratings be outsourced but officers retained on the MV Normandy.
Siptu believes the company intends to replace Irish workers on all its services with outsourced labour from low-wage economies elsewhere in Europe.