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SeaFrance and LD Lines in row over French union demonstrations
A row has broken out between cross-Channel rivals SeaFrance and LD Lines after demonstrations by French general workers unions.
LD Lines issued a press statement claiming SeaFrance (CFDT) unions have twice recently, but unsuccessfully, attempted to disrupt tourist and freight traffic travelling to and from Boulogne, with demonstrations against the British Flag operated vessel, Norman Arrow.
The ferry company’s managing director Christophe Santoni declared: “The latest behaviour of SeaFrance (CFDT) unions is totally irresponsible by claiming the British Flag to be a “Flag of Convenience”.
“This totally discredits the work and representation of the two English unions – RMT and Nautilus – the very unions with whom the salaries of crews of our British Flag vessels have been negotiated and approved.
“We are a company that believes in free and unrestricted competition and find the attitude of the SeaFrance unions utterly disgraceful and totally misguided.
“These are the same unions who have been instrumental in creating the dire financial situation over many years that their own company, SeaFrance, finds itself in today, and are now trying to deflect their own created problems as being caused by LD Lines, as the newest operator across the Dover Straits.”
But SeaFrance was quick to distance itself from the demonstrations and said LD Lines was merely trying to use them to take commercial advantage.
“SeaFrance totally rejects the attempt by LD Lines to link the company to the private actions of certain CFDT union members,” it said in a later statement.
“Although SeaFrance is a French flagged company, it, needless to say, fully respects the British flag. The suggestion that the members have demonstrated against the Britsh flag is a fabrication – it is not the basis of their objections.
“French citizens, whether members of the CFDT or not, are fully entitled to express their opinions within the law. The demonstrations were not encouraged by or linked in any way to SeaFrance and LD Lines are simply attempting to take a commercial advantage in suggesting this.”
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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