Irish Ferries to cut redundancy package

Irish Ferries has tonight upped the ante in the long running dispute involving SIPTU members by threatening to slash the terms of the redundancy package for staff.

The company warned that it would reduce the severance package by 25% by withdrawing a cooperation payment unless workers allow three vessels forced out of service to resume operations by tomorrow night.

The threat was contained in an internal memo to staff.

However, SIPTU has tonight emphatically refused to back down in light of the threat.

Both sides are in the process of to returning for talks at the Labour Relations Commission.