Irish Ferries vessel prevented from docking in Cherbourg

Union activists have prevented an Irish Ferries vessel from docking in the French port of Cherbourg today as part of a protest over low pay.

The blockade of the MV Normandy was mounted by unions affiliated to the International Transport Workers' Federation to highlight the recruitment of foreign workers on low pay rates on board the vessel.

Last month, the ferry was also prevented from entering Cherbourg for several hours due to union protests.

Norrie McVicar, a spokesman for the protestors, said: "Irish Ferries are using cheap labour from former eastern bloc countries who are now European citizens and paying them somewhere in the region of €1-an-hour.

"This goes against the principles of the Treaty of Rome in terms of equality and the free movement of labour."