Officers 'secure' wheelhouse of Irish Ferries ship
Ships officers on board the Irish Ferries vessel, the 'Isle of Inishmore', which is docked at Pembroke in Wales, have announced that they have secured its wheel house, as the dispute over the out-sourcing of jobs continues.
As a result, they claim, private security personnel can not interfere with the operation of the ship.
International Transport Federation inspector Tony Ayton is calling on the Marine Minister to investigate the way in which the security guards boarded the Inishmore and its sister ship the Ulysses.
Another Irish Ferries ship, the Normandy, carrying more than 100 passengers, is due in Rosslare within the next hour but it is unclear whether it will be able to dock when it arrives.
SIPTU members, employed by Iarnrod Eireann, which runs the port, said they will not handle the vessel.
If the ship cannot dock the passengers will be left stranded at sea.
Barry Kenny of Iarnrod Eireann said this afternoon that they are trying to talk to staff to find a solution to this latest stand-off.
Meanwhile, the head of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, David Begg, said that he is going back to the National Implementation Body to try and get it involved in tackling the dispute again.
Unions and employers had reportedly agreed to work together to broker an agreement but the plan was apparently abandoned.
Now Mr Begg wants to re-launch the initiative.
Earlier, the Taoiseach criticised Irish Ferries' handling of the row, calling it 'ham-fisted' and 'utterly unbelievable'.
Speaking in Cork, Mr Ahern said the company should have accepted the Labour Court recommendation.
| Related Stories: |
|
