SIPTU is to withdraw a motion from its national delegate conference in Cork calling on members to enter talks on a new social partnership agreement.
Delegates will instead debate whether there is a basis for going into negotiations in light of the issues thrown up by the dispute at Irish Ferries.
The SIPTU President, Jack O'Connor, has said he does not believe there's any point in his union being involved in social partnership unless it can protect workers against job displacement and exploitation
In his opening address, Mr O'Connor criticised what he called a growing culture of exploitation on the one hand, accompanied by excessive profit taking and a growing rip-off culture on the other.
Yesterday, management at Irish Ferries agreed to re-enter talks with trade unions on its plans to lay off around 550 staff and replace them with cheaper agency workers.
