Ferry firm says asking crew to live on-board will cut cancellations

Asking ferry crews to stay on-board between shifts will reduce the risk of cancellations, the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company has said.

The firm is in dispute with the union Nautilus over the plans for staff working routes to Lancashire.

The firm said the changes would make sailings more reliable as ships could "wait out" bad weather without returning to port to change crew.

In a statement Nautilus called the Steam Packet comments "misleading".

The union has threatened industrial action over what it claims are Steam Packet plans to impose the live on-board arrangements by January next year by "firing and rehiring the workforce".

"If they want to ensure a reliable service and stop cancellations they can prevent potential industrial action by ending their threat," a Nautilus spokesman said.

The proposals would see Steam Packet staff live-on board vessels rather than go home to rest between shifts to and from Heysham for the first time in more than 20 years.

A Steam Packet spokesman said the Ben-my-Chree, which does not have crew accommodation, has been limited to 12 hour-trips from its home port due to hours-of-rest regulations.

New vessel the Manxman had been designed so staff could live on-board and sailings could continue despite poor weather, he added.

Nautilus said its members were not opposed to the changes, but wanted them to be "phased in" while honouring existing contracts, a union spokesman previously said.

About 70% of the Steam Packet's sea-going staff who belong to another union have already agreed to the change and signed new contracts.

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