Deal Struck on MyFerryLink Dispute

zoom Staff representatives of SCOP-SeaFrance, Eurotunnel and DFDS, with the assistance of the French transport minister Alain Vidalies, reached an agreement last night concerning the release of the Channel ferries Rodin and Berlioz thus signaling the end of a wrangle that has dragged on for several months now. Namely, workers of the MyFerryLink, represented by SCOP-SeaFrance, had blocked the French port of Calais protesting job cuts that ensued after their company, owned by Eurotunnel, was sold to Danish shipping company DFDS. As part of the agreement, DFDS committed to employ 202 former SCOP-Seafrance employees in its French organization. Under the deal, DFDS would also pay additional compensation to the employees that were made redundant in January. The two ferries have been seized since July and are expected to be handed over at the beginning of September. Contingent on the time of delivery from Eurotunnel, the ferries are expected to be deployed during Q4 2015 on Dover-Calais together with Calais Seaways and the route will therefore be operated by three ferries compared to two ferries today. Malo Seaways will be deployed elsewhere in the network, DFDS said in an announcement. DFDS will thereafter operate a total of six ferries out of Dover to Calais and Dunkirk respectively, with three ferries on each route.