Portsmouth: If travelling through the Port soon watch this situation .

[Frederick]

As a user of the Port     I will  be keeping a eye on developements regarding this situation in case I need to switch .

http://www.unitetheunion.org/news__events/latest_news/cross-channel_ferries_face_sum.aspx

[NickP]

I find it incredible that companies can employ people on contract; dismiss them and then offer to re-employ them on another contract at a lower rate or worse conditions. OK I can understand them putting new recruits onto different contracts but if they sign and accept it's their choice. Surely if the company organise themselves properly using two lots of workers on different deals is not rocket science. Not sure in this case that the inconvenience to the public is made by the workers.

[JeanS]

Oh dear - as Frederick will keep an eye on this -I've just booked our return crossing with Brittany Ferries for 2nd.Sept. Can only hope it will be sorted by then.

[Rabbie]

According to the Union website there will be talks starting tomorrow(Monday) to resolve this dispute

[fluffy tree]

I was booked on the Brittany Ferries Caen to Portsmouth 4.30 pm sailing on Tues 7 Aug. At 4pm letters were handed to all drivers advising the ship would not leave until 6.30pm due to a strike by 'some of the crew'. We were loaded onto the ship 20 minutes later, but it did not sail until 6.30.

As I am returning to Caen in 2 weeks time, does anyone know if this action is ongoing, or whether it was a one-off? 

[EmilyA]

We went out from Ouistreham on 29th July and back 3rd August with no sign of action and no delays whatsoever.

[Gardian]

There's almost certainly two separate issues here.

One is the action by Portsmouth dockyard employees - that may or may not have been resolved.

The second is any disgruntlement amongst BF crews over timetable changes (well, actually reductions) from Dec 2012 on. That is almost certainly an ongoing problem (BF won't change it's mind) and crews will be using the peak period of sailings to express their concerns. 

My guess would be that anything could happen, though I somehow doubt that it'll affect anything other than a minority of sailings.