Mutiny on the Rapide
A MUTINY has broken out as Condor staff have commandeered the Rapide and refused to release it until their demands were met.
Company CEO James Fulford is leading negotiations to talk down 11 employees who are camped out on the fast ferry, which is trapped in St Malo's harbour.
'We make virtually no money on our high-speed services, so the last thing we want to do is agree to demands that have a detrimental impact on islanders and islanders' travel,' he said.
The employees, who have demanded better pay and working conditions, are manning a 24-hour blockade of the vessel in shifts. Condor has stopped paying the striking members of staff but is still feeding them.
Mr Fulford is one of a number of senior Condor officials trying to bring the stand-off to an end.
He said the company did not want to inflame 'an already delicate situation' but if it continued into the long term they would have to consider all options.
'It's very delicate. What they are doing may be illegal under Channel Islands law, but it may not be under French law. And even if it is illegal, it may not be practically enforceable,' he said.
Mr Fulford said the company was doing everything it could to return the ferry to service – including accepting some of the workers' demands – but there was no guarantee about when it would be running again.
