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Brittany Ferries services halted 'until further notice' | Brittany Ferries services halted 'until further notice' |
(about 17 hours later) | |
Crossings with Brittany Ferries have been "cancelled until further notice" following two days of wildcat strikes. | Crossings with Brittany Ferries have been "cancelled until further notice" following two days of wildcat strikes. |
Ferries from Portsmouth and Plymouth to France and Spain have been suspended indefinitely. | Ferries from Portsmouth and Plymouth to France and Spain have been suspended indefinitely. |
Sailings are suspended because of industrial action by some French crew members unhappy with working terms and conditions. | Sailings are suspended because of industrial action by some French crew members unhappy with working terms and conditions. |
The company is trying to reduce costs following three years of losses. Passengers are being diverted to Dover. | The company is trying to reduce costs following three years of losses. Passengers are being diverted to Dover. |
Talks are continuing in the French port of Roscoff between unions and Brittany Ferries in a bid to end the dispute. | Talks are continuing in the French port of Roscoff between unions and Brittany Ferries in a bid to end the dispute. |
Brittany Ferries communications director Stephen Tuckwell apologised to passengers caught up in the last-minute disruption. | Brittany Ferries communications director Stephen Tuckwell apologised to passengers caught up in the last-minute disruption. |
He said: "All sailings are cancelled until further notice because we cannot tolerate any short notice strikes by the crew which result in intolerable inconvenience for our passengers. | He said: "All sailings are cancelled until further notice because we cannot tolerate any short notice strikes by the crew which result in intolerable inconvenience for our passengers. |
"Talks are ongoing and we hope to resolve the dispute early next week." | "Talks are ongoing and we hope to resolve the dispute early next week." |
Maria Williams, from Farnborough, turned up at Portsmouth on Friday morning unaware her sailing to Caen had been cancelled. | Maria Williams, from Farnborough, turned up at Portsmouth on Friday morning unaware her sailing to Caen had been cancelled. |
She said: "I'm not very happy, really, especially as we set off at 4am to get here. | She said: "I'm not very happy, really, especially as we set off at 4am to get here. |
"They could've rung us before we left to save us a journey." | "They could've rung us before we left to save us a journey." |
'Particularly frustrating' | 'Particularly frustrating' |
Barbara Robinson was trying to get back to her home in France from Plymouth with her husband, Brian. | Barbara Robinson was trying to get back to her home in France from Plymouth with her husband, Brian. |
She told BBC Radio Devon she was "disappointed" with the industrial action. | She told BBC Radio Devon she was "disappointed" with the industrial action. |
She said: "We're tired. You're expecting to get on the ferry and it all goes smoothly, but we're still here and we don't know for how long." | She said: "We're tired. You're expecting to get on the ferry and it all goes smoothly, but we're still here and we don't know for how long." |
Mr Tuckwell said: "This is a wildcat strike which has given us very little time to contact people in advance about the disruption. | Mr Tuckwell said: "This is a wildcat strike which has given us very little time to contact people in advance about the disruption. |
"It's particularly frustrating as an agreement was reached last week in Roscoff following a previous wildcat strike and we thought that was the end of it. | "It's particularly frustrating as an agreement was reached last week in Roscoff following a previous wildcat strike and we thought that was the end of it. |
"The dispute centres on allowances that were given to staff in the good times, but now that we're facing a third year of losses, we need to safeguard the business and the interests of our crew." | "The dispute centres on allowances that were given to staff in the good times, but now that we're facing a third year of losses, we need to safeguard the business and the interests of our crew." |
Mr Tuckwell advised passengers due to travel with Brittany Ferries in the next few days to travel to Dover where special arrangements are in place. | Mr Tuckwell advised passengers due to travel with Brittany Ferries in the next few days to travel to Dover where special arrangements are in place. |
Has your journey been disrupted due to the strike? You can get in touch using the form below: |