Why we should support Irish Ferries workers

Issued : Monday 5 December, 2005

SUPPORT IRISH FERRIES WORKERS

• Irish Ferries management are attempting to replace 543 seafaring employees between Dublin/Holyhead and Rosslare/ Pembroke with workers who will be paid only 3.60 an hour (the current minimum wage in Ireland is 7.65 an hour).
• If Irish Ferries management get away with this it will have disastrous implications for workers across the board in Ireland who will be threatened with displacement by exploited workers from poorer countries.
• In one fell swoop Irish Ferries are attacking not only their traditional workforce but also the pay and conditions of migrant workers. Stories of private security armed with crow bars and tear gas have added to the intimidation of Irish Ferries Workers by management.
• This all comes after a year where the salary of Eamonn Rothwell, chief executive of the company increased by 35,000, bringing his salary to 687,000 per year, and when the company made a 20 million profit in 2004.
• Reports by Davy Stockbrokers and Farrell Grant Sparks (commissioned by Irish Ferries itself) all show that the company is in a very healthy and profitable state.

Is this the end of social partnership?

The Government and the Taoiseach have refused to intervene in defence of the Irish Ferries workers. They say there is nothing they can do.

This is a lie. The government at a European level have consistently blocked attempts to introduce regulations which would prohibit the outsourcing of maritime jobs at rates below the national minimum the wage. In 1999 FF/ PDs refused to support the draft EU Directive on Seafarers' Rights which would have safeguarded Irish minimum rates of pay.

Fianna Fil and the PDs have also refused to adopt and put into law a Labour Party bill that would protect the jobs of the Irish Ferries workers and other workers in similar situations from been "yellowpacked". The government and employers through their actions are nailing the last nail in the coffin of social partnership.