The General President of Irish trade union SIPTU yesterday welcomed the decision by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) Executive to back his call for a national day of protest over Irish Ferries attempts to replace its workforce with cheap labour scabs.
SIPTU represents maritime officers occupying two ferries at Pembroke Docks and Holyhead in Wales.
Referring to the boarding of the Isle of Inishmore and Ulysses ferries at the Welsh ports by security guards and Latvian and other East European scabs last Thursday, Jack O’Connor reiterated: ‘The Irish Ferries dispute is a defining moment in the relations between employers and workers in this country.
‘It is a moment which challenges everyone, on all sides, to declare on the side of decency, social dialogue and constructive engagement, or on the side of thuggery, brutality and the law of the jungle.’
He added: ‘In a moment such as this you are on one side or the other. Indeed I am aware that a great number of employers are repelled by the scenes that are unfolding.’
O’Connor called on the government of Bertie Ahern to ‘take the necessary measures to address job displacement, exploitation and the protection of employment standards.’
SIPTU announced: ‘The protest will now take place on Friday, December 9th at 1.30pm starting from Parnell Square to Government Buildings.’
The ICTU executive sanctioned the national day of protest at a special meeting yesterday morning.
Meanwhile, with the two ferries in Wales still partially occupied by SIPTU officer members under siege by security guards and scabs, the International Transport Federation inspector for Ireland, Tony Ayton, has written formally to Alf McGrath, Human Resources Manager at Irish Ferries requesting him to allow inspectors on board company ships.
So far, ITF inspectors in Dublin, Rosslare, Pembroke and Holyhead have been denied access to Irish Ferries ships.
A spokesman for the British Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers union (RMT) told News Line yesterday: ‘We will be supporting the December 9th Day of Protest.
‘We’ve demanded that the Maritime and Coastguard Agency investigate the boarding of the Irish Ferries ships.
‘Using security guards like that is in breach of international law, it breaks the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code and is a threat to the security of passengers and crew.’
In Dublin yesterday, the Labour Relations Commission was continuing its efforts to formulate proposals that might get Irish Ferries management and SIPTU back to the negotiating table.
Tommy Molloy, British officers’ union Numast official, said yesterday: ‘Obviously we’re hopeful that the talks will result in some kind of move towards settlement.’
Meanwhile, a TUC press officer told News Line that the TUC had not discussed the Irish Ferries dispute yet and the best thing was to contact the individual trade unions.
Dave Wiltshire, national secretary of the All Trades Union Alliance, said yesterday: ‘The Irish trade unions have been forced to call action on December 9th to support the Irish Ferries workers who are confronting scab labour.
‘This is an issue that faces the entire trade union movement in the Republic and in Britain.
‘British union leaders must support that action. They must mobilise their members to march on Holyhead and Pembroke Docks on December 9th to stop the scabbing operation that is taking place there.’
