Siptu to liaise with lawyers to implement legal structure

Siptu officials involved in negotiations with Irish Ferries management will spend the weekend with solicitors to try to build a legal framework around the recent agreement.

A spokeswoman has said that the four officers who barricaded themselves into the control room of the Isle of Inishmore vessel over the last few weeks were rostered to sail with the ship back to Rosslare on Thursday, December 15th.

The four travelled instead with a Stena line ship to Rosslare. They are: Gary Jones, an electrical engineer from Newport, south Wales, marine engineer Vincent Hetherington, from Dublin but now living in Waterford, John Curry, a marine engineer from Dublin, living in Gorey and Brian Whitfield, second officer on the ship, from Dublin but living in Mallow, Co. Cork.

The agreement allows the company to proceed with its plan to replace more than 500 seafarers with cheaper migrant labour. The new staff, will, however, be paid at least the minimum wage of €7.65 an hour and will have more time off than was first thought.
The spokeswoman said that the next few days will be spent in consultation with lawyers to try to put a framework on the agreement with the company.

It is thought that both sides are now drafting a legal framework around the agreement and will soon agree final details.