A meeting of the National Implementation Body looking at Irish Ferries decision to seek 543 voluntary redundancies has ended at Government Buildings.
Speaking on their way out, representatives from SIPTU and IBEC said there had been no decisions made and that the matter had been adjourned for the time being with no date for the resumption of talks yet.
SIPTU had served two weeks' strike notice on Irish Ferries after the company announced on Monday that it had offered a redundancy deal to the 543 employees on its Dublin to Holyhead and Rosslare to Pembroke routes.
Workers have until 2 October to accept the deal. If the offer is not accepted, or the workers strike, the company says it will be forced to exit the routes entirely, in the process making all the workers on these routes redundant.
Today SIPTU marine branch secretary Paul Smyth reiterated the union's view that the company's action was completely unacceptable.
Mr Smyth said if unions acted in the same way as Irish Ferries they would be pilloried by the media, public and employers. He said there was an onus on IBEC to take action against its member company.
A spokesman for Irish Ferries said it was the company's intention to remain totally focused on the plan; he would not comment further on the matter.
Irish Ferries has said the redundancies are necessary to meet the challenge of increased competition from low-cost air and sea operators, and rising costs.
Under the voluntary scheme, workers would receive six weeks' pay per year of service, plus the statutory two weeks' pay per year of service. Anyone who decides to remain with Irish Ferries will have to accept a pay cut and revised conditions, although the company is offering compensation for the changes.
Irish Ferries has said the offer is subject to no threat or action of industrial action. Workers that leave the company will be replaced with cheaper labour from an outside agency.
