Ferries employees set to lose jobs

A group of Irish Ferries workers who had hoped to remain in their jobs have been told that they are now to be made redundant.

A Siptu spokesperson said that the union was hoping to raise the matter with the company. The letter addressed to the workers was signed by Human Resources Director Alf McGrath.

It says that under the terms of the Labour Court agreement on December 14, a maximum of 48 existing staff could choose to remain in the employment of Irish Ferries Ltd on a 'red circled basis'. This means that their current pay would be protected under the new employment deal.

The letter said that the number hoping to remain had exceeded the maximum number provided for.
Compensation will be paid in accordance with the Redundancy Compensation formula.

One employee said he had received verbal assurances from senior managers that he would be kept on. He was also told that he would be able to help with training foreign workers.

A spokesman for Irish Ferries said, however, that all the workers were temporary employees. He added that they did qualify for the package on offer to everyone else. This consists of two week statutory redundancy plus six weeks pay per completed year of service and pro rate reduction for less than a complete year.