Condor Ferries boss says 'no resolution' in strike

Talks between Condor Ferries and the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) over a French crew's industrial action remain deadlocked.

Condor chief executive James Fulford has been negotiating with the unions since the strike began on Thursday.

ITF representative Laure Talloneau, said; "Staff would not compromise and not go back to work until they got better pay and working conditions."

Travellers are concerned the strike may affect the next sailing on 13 February.

Condor said the union refused to negotiate over terms it had already offered.

Ms Talloneau claimed workers were protesting because they wanted the same rights as their counterparts on the mainland, such as social security benefits.

Dialogue

She said they would stay on strike until they had their contracts changed.

The industrial action began on Thursday morning when 250 French day trippers were left on the quayside in St Malo.

Mr Fulford said Condor did not make a huge amount of money on the route, and could not afford to pay much more money to its staff.

On Friday, Ms Talloneau called on Jersey's government to pressure Condor into changing the workers' contracts.

Economic Development Minister, Senator Alan Maclean, said: "At the moment it is a matter between Condor Ferries, a Guernsey registered company, and the authorities in France.

"The unions are in dialogue with Condor, all we are concerned about is that the service returns to normal as quickly as possible."