More than 50 per cent of staff at Irish Ferries will have been laid off by the close of business today as the ships' officers strike entered its third day with no sign of resolution.
A company spokesman told ireland.com 650 of its 1,200 strong workforce will have been removed from the payroll in the dispute over the outsourcing of employment.
Earlier a SIPTU spokesman claimed number of lay-offs was closer 800 and accused the management of operating a "lock out" policy on its staff, many of whom had not been balloted on strike action.
He claimed the union has been prepared to enter talks with the management from the outset but had been frustrated at every turn.
The strike by SIPTU members is in response to the company's decision to outsource employment next year on its MV Normandy service between Rosslare and France.
The union claims the move will result in Irish seafarers being replaced by "low-cost foreign" labour.
But the company says the union is in breach of its agreement and that it was up to the ship's captains when they wanted to go back to work.
It warned that it would not be long before the strike caused permanent damage to the business as freight customers forced to switch to other carriers might not return.
SIPTU has called on the Government to intervene but last night the Minister for Enterprise ,Trade and Employment, Mr Martin, called on both sides to stop sparring and get into the Labour Relations Commission."
