Irish Ferries and Ireland's major labor union announced a deal Wednesday to end an almost three-week shutdown that had threatened to sink the company. Members of the SIPTU union seized control of two Irish Ferries ships Nov. 24 when the company tried to introduce new, non-union workers from Eastern Europe. As part of Wednesday's deal, Irish ferries managers said they would pay the new employees at least Ireland's minimum wage.
See "Irish Ferries, Union Announce Deal", Associated Press, The New York Times, December 13, 2005