Threat of summer ferry strikes

P&O's pay offer has been rejected by the union

Sea passengers could face a summer of disruption after a seafarers' union ordered a strike ballot over a pay dispute with ferry giant P&O.

Workers on Irish Sea routes are being offered a wage increase of 1.2% which the union Numast has described as "derisory".

Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland routes which could be affected are Larne-Cairnryan, Dublin-Liverpool and Rosslare-Cherbourg.

The union, which wants an improved offer and national pay bargaining for workers across the P&O group, will ballot more than 600 members later this month.

Numast said strike action could target crossings in the peak summer period.

'Ships being worked harder'

The union said it also planned to lobby at the ferry company's AGM in London on Friday, where P&O is expected to announce a significant rise in profits and passengers.

A spokesman for the union told BBC News Online: "The members (on Irish Sea routes) have rejected a 1.2% pay offer and have indicated a willingness to be balloted.

"We feel the offer is totally inadequate. The ships are being worked harder than ever and the workers are being worked harden than ever.

"The ships are carrying more passengers and more freight and are making more profit, while P&O are telling our members they can only afford to pay them at the rate of inflation in November.

"That is not a way to reward highly skilled and professional staff."

Talks collapse

The collapse of pay negotiations has been felt throughout P&O Ferries, which is split into different companies for each of its major routes serving the UK, Ireland, and the Continent.

Numast, which represents more than 18,000 seafarers, said it suspected that P&O's headquarters was dictating terms across the group.

But the P&O company on the Dover to Calais route told the BBC that they believed their offer was fair and would be accepted by staff.