News

LD Lines, the French-owned ferry operator that has recently begun services from Dover to Boulogne, has launched a scathing attack on French unions for attempting to disrupt its services.

The French unions have twice tried to stop the line's vessels loading and unloading  in Boulogne, but on both occasions they have been prevented by French police.

An LD Lines spokesman says that the French unions have criticised the operator for running its vessels under the British flag (the Red Ensign).

He adds: "The problem is that the unions do not seem to be able to grasp the word 'competitive'."

The French unions represent members who work for SeaFrance, which has announced job losses this year because of the pressures of the global recession.

LD Lines' managing director, Christophe Santoni, says: "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 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."

LD Lines has created 80 jobs with its latest vessel on the Dover-Boulogne route,  the high-speed freight carrying catamaran, the Norman Arrow. LD Lines says that if the French unions try to disrupt is service again, it will instigate legal action against them.

SeaFrance says in a statement that it totally rejects the attempt by LD Lines to link the company to the private actions of certain CFDT union members.