TALKS to avert a full scale strike on Irish Ferries' continental route will resume this morning. The company is asking customers to check with its reservations offices in Dublin, Cork or Rosslare about weekend sailings.
Industrial action by the Seamen's Union of Ireland (SUI) delayed the departure of the Rosslare to Le Havre ferry by three and a half hours on Wednesday night.
No further disruption is expected before today's negotiations at the Labour Relations Commission end. However, the danger of an escalation in the dispute will increase over the weekend.
Strike notice from SIPTU expires today. The company intends to close the continental service for the winter in a week, laying off more than 100 employees.
SIPTU, which represents ships' officers and about a third of the company's ratings, is also balloting members on the cross channel routes. These may be brought out as well if there is a strike.
The SUI strike notice ran out last week, but so far it has restricted itself to limited forms of industrial action.
However, feelings are running very high among SUI members. It may be difficult for the union leadership to sell any compromise package that emerges from today's talks.
Yesterday the company said it would top up the social welfare entitlements of those laid off due to the closure of its route over the winter, pay the employees' PRSI contributions and put a voluntary severance package in place. When talks resume this morning the two unions are to make their responses.
Yesterday's talks were overshadowed by the overnight announcement by the Minister for the Marine, Mr Barrett, that the Government was rejecting an application from Irish Ferries for large scale subsidies in order to maintain the continental route.
Alter talks adjourned at lunchtime, union representatives sought meetings with the Minister of State for the Marine, Mr Eamonn Gilmore. The unions also want to meet the three Wexford based members of the Government. These are the Minister for the Environment, Mr Howlin, the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Yates and the Minister of State for Finance, Ms Avril Doyle.
Uncertainty over the long term future of the continental route has been a destabilising factor in the talks. Irish Ferries is expected to ask the Government to look at the possibility of State aid again.
A SIPTU representative, Mr Paul Smith, described the decision not to provide aid as "a body, blow to the workers and unions during the present talks.