Talks aimed at resolving the dispute at Irish Ferries were adjourned this evening and will resume tomorrow morning.
The talks follow agreement by Irish Ferries management and Siptu to use a new initiative proposed at the National Implementation Body (NIB) last night.
The NIB recommended that the two sides immediately enter negotiations at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC), with a Wednesday deadline for a resolution.
Jack O'Connor, general president Siptu
The body intervened in an attempt to break the deadlock in both the Irish Ferries dispute and the social partnership process. Talks on a successor to Susutaining Progress have not taken place as scheduled, largely becuase of the Irish Ferries dispute.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern last night welcomed the NIB recommendations and urged both sides to "engage fully" at the LRC. The NIB is chaired by the Secretary General at the Department of the Taoiseach Dermot McCarthy and is made up of representatives from Ibec and Ictu.
Ahead of the meeting, the NIB called on the company to suspend its application to re-register vessels under the Cypriot flag. And it also recommended a review of employment protection measures, ensuring effective inspection of employment standards.
Urging both sides to sit down and come to agreement, the NIB warned that the dispute had the potential to significantly damage trust built up between employers and staff through social partnership.
The NIB proposal is understood to include a requirement that the company enter a legally binding agreement to uphold Irish employment laws on its vessels and maintain the national minimum wage.
The company had intended replacing 543 seafarers with foreign labour paid less than half the existing €7.65 minimum wage.
The role of the employers' body Ibec in the new proposal is considered particularly important because unions were angry at its refusal to condemn Irish Ferries management for side-stepping agreed industrial relations practices. Its move last night may be a first step in creating the conditions for partnership talks to take place.
In a statement this morning, Siptu General President Jack O'Connor said the NIB statement "represents substantial progress on the overall issue of labour standards, but issues remain to be clarified before we can contemplate entry into new national pay talks.
"On the Irish Ferries dispute our position has always been that we are prepared to enter talks and we note the NIB statement envisages each side entering these talks without prejudice to their respective positions," Mr O'Connor said.
However, the company's services remain suspended due to a stand-off with ships officers that began eleven days ago when Irish Ferries moved to implement the outsourcing plan.