Isle of Man ferry crews to be balloted over strike action

Manx ferry workers are to be balloted on whether they would support strike action in a row over employment conditions.

Member of the union Nautilus will be balloted over plans to impose live on board conditions for staff working sailings from Douglas to Lancashire.

The union said the changes would see employees lose 76 days a year with friends and family.

The Isle of Man Steam Packet said it was disappointed with the latest move.

Proposals from the government-owned ferry firm would see staff live on-board the new vessel Manxman rather than go home to rest between shifts to and from Heysham for the first time in more than 20 years.

The operator said it would therefore be able to to respond more flexibly to travel disruptions and bad weather, which is a claim the union said was "misleading".

Garry Elliot from Nautlius said the ballot, which would gauge support for strike action and action short of strike, came after company had "refused to recognise the significant sacrifice" living on board the ferry would represent.

If industrial action was backed, it would be due to the "intransigence" of the Steam Packet's management and "not the hard-working employees who are being asked to accept fundamental changes or face getting the sack", he said.

In a statement the Steam Packet said a "generous offer" had been made and officers who needed to be at home on a daily basis would be accommodated "as far as possible".

He urged the union to negotiate a solution rather than "threatening disruption of lifeline services".

"The future business model - of which the significant investment in Manxman is part - requires live on board as a fundamental requirement of future contractual employment," he added.

About 70% of the firm's sea-going staff who belong to the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers have already agreed to the change.

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