The Inspector for the International Transport Federation in Ireland has challenged Irish Ferries management over suggestions that it endorsed the company's out-sourcing of jobs.
The ITF, the world trade union body which represents seafarers, has said this is not correct.
Inspector Tony Ayton has written to the Human Resources Manager of Irish Ferries, Alf McGrath, in relation to comments he made on RTÉ Television News last night.
The ITF says his comments implied that foreign nationals being recruited for the company's ship, the Normandy, on the Rosslare-Cherbourg route, had ITF pay rates.
Mr Ayton, ITF Inspector for both the Republic and Northern Ireland, said he was unaware of any such arrangement and was 'greatly surprised' when Irish Ferries used the name of the ITF as a public endorsement for its recruitment policy.
He has called on Irish Ferries to contact the ITF and explain the basis of this statement.
