Irish Ferries dispute - Strike action need not be inevitable

The disquieting attempt by Irish Ferries to supplant its workforce with cheap imported staff raises a fundamental issue for Irish labour and also has implications for future social partnerships, and consequently the economy.

SIPTU president Jack O’Connor has warned that, if social partnership fails to protect the workers (almost 550 of them), the union would find it pointless to engage in future partnerships.

It is the biggest union in the country and, were it forced to withdraw from national agreements, the consequences would reverberate throughout the economy.