Some 90 ships' officers employed by Irish Ferries are to ballot on a settlement package in the dispute over the introduction of the new £30 million fast ferry, Jonathan Swift. The deal, worked out during two days of talks facilitated by senior SIPTU and IBEC officials, is being recommended by the officers' SIPTU section committee, which met this afternoon. The result of the ballot is due by midday on Saturday and there is optimism that it could clear the way for the ferry to be put into operation immediately.
The £30m super-ferry, Jonathan Swift, has been berthed at the Alexandra Dock since it was brought to Dublin for the Irish Sea route by Irish Ferries last month. At the centre of the row between the company and SIPTU has been the issue of crewing levels for the ferry, which can carry 800 passengers and 200 cars. There has been disagreement over a Labour Court recommendation, which said that the ships' officers should work 168 days a year, as against 140 under a previous agreement. There was disagreement too on a buy-out plan for officers moving from the old working arrangements to the new ones.
The row remained deadlocked until earlier this week, when new talks were brokered by the SIPTU official, Jack Nash, and IBEC's Turlough O'Sullivan. Those talks ended last night and, today, settlement proposals were put to the SIPTU section committee at Irish Ferries, which is to recommend acceptance in a ballot of the ninety officers. The result of the ballot should be known by midday on Saturday. There is optimism now that the result could allow the new service to begin immediately.
