SeaFrance’s ferries are to remain in dock until further notice in what staff unions claim amounts to an illegal lock-out, IFW reported quoting a SeaFrance official.
The Channel ferry operator’s judicial administrators had decided that commercial activities will only resume when the safety of vessels, staff and property can be guaranteed.
Meanwhile, the company’s staff, seafarers and land-based workers, have been told to stay at home.
It is understood SeaFrance’s decision was prompted by rising tension between staff and a management said to be wary of being held responsible in the event that a serious incident occurred onboard.
SeaFrance management also claimed that some union leaders had threatened to sink vessels.
On Wednesday, the Paris commercial court ordered the liquidation of SeaFrance, but allowed the company to continue trading until 28 January.
The court judged that the two bids submitted for SeaFrance – one from DFDS and LD Lines and the other from a co-operative of SeaFrance workers – were unsatisfactory. However, it has left the door open to new offers to be submitted before 12 December
The shutdown has angered SeaFrance’s main staff union, the CFDT, whose officials suspect management is trying to sabotage the workers co-operative bid to take over the company.
“What management is doing is called a lock-out, and it’s illegal, and we are going to explore all the political means to put an end to it,” one senior union official said.
A meeting is scheduled with Transport Minister Thierry Mariani tomorrow.
Trucks turning up at Calais with SeaFrance tickets have been re-directed to other operators, with P&O Ferries reported to have put on an extra vessel to absorb the surplus traffic.
While the shutdown has been justified out of fear of damage to vessels and company property, another reason is financial, with the company rumoured to only have enough cash flow to continue trading until 15 December.
By keeping vessels in dock it can economise on operating costs and be able to hold out until the end of January next year.
However, the union said this would ruin SeaFrance’s core business, with customers switching to competitors.
The Channel ferry operator’s judicial administrators had decided that commercial activities will only resume when the safety of vessels, staff and property can be guaranteed.
Meanwhile, the company’s staff, seafarers and land-based workers, have been told to stay at home.
It is understood SeaFrance’s decision was prompted by rising tension between staff and a management said to be wary of being held responsible in the event that a serious incident occurred onboard.
SeaFrance management also claimed that some union leaders had threatened to sink vessels.
On Wednesday, the Paris commercial court ordered the liquidation of SeaFrance, but allowed the company to continue trading until 28 January.
The court judged that the two bids submitted for SeaFrance – one from DFDS and LD Lines and the other from a co-operative of SeaFrance workers – were unsatisfactory. However, it has left the door open to new offers to be submitted before 12 December
The shutdown has angered SeaFrance’s main staff union, the CFDT, whose officials suspect management is trying to sabotage the workers co-operative bid to take over the company.
“What management is doing is called a lock-out, and it’s illegal, and we are going to explore all the political means to put an end to it,” one senior union official said.
A meeting is scheduled with Transport Minister Thierry Mariani tomorrow.
Trucks turning up at Calais with SeaFrance tickets have been re-directed to other operators, with P&O Ferries reported to have put on an extra vessel to absorb the surplus traffic.
While the shutdown has been justified out of fear of damage to vessels and company property, another reason is financial, with the company rumoured to only have enough cash flow to continue trading until 15 December.
By keeping vessels in dock it can economise on operating costs and be able to hold out until the end of January next year.
However, the union said this would ruin SeaFrance’s core business, with customers switching to competitors.