Union says Sarkozy plan is too risky

UNION lawyers for workers at troubled ferry firm SeaFrance have poured cold water on President Sarkozy's proposal to fund a buy-out with redundancy payments.

They said it was "not feasible" as the the Scop workers' cooperative, the only offer left on the table for the cross-Channel firm and its four ferries - needed new money to buy it as a going concern. Redundancy cash would only be available if it was liquidated and ensuing legal problems would create commercial uncertainty.

The union reply came as the Paris commercial tribunal deciding the future of the company postponed a hearing until January 9 to evaluate the Sarkozy plan.

It also came as SeaFrance parent group SNCF assured workers that most could get jobs - without losing a day's pay - if the ferry firm goes under; although not without moving away from home. SNCF boss Guillaume Pépy said SNCF could find jobs for all but a few; although they would have to move away from Calais and retrain. It has been suggested SNCF would retrain some of the 880 staff as bus drivers for its new long-distance coach service.

Eric Vercoutre, the secretary of the SeaFrance staff council, denounced Pépy's proposal as a "big so-what" and said it was just a way of getting round Sarkozy's demand for action to save jobs. He added that the first thing he did was to check if the date was April 1.

Transport Minister Thierry Mariani - who last week denounced the workers' plans - will this morning meet representatives of the Scop.

Sarkozy's plans have been attacked by cross-Channel rival P&O which said it would lodge a complaint with the European Commission for unfair competition.

Many workers are also uneasy at being asked to contribute any redundancy pay-outs as they could be used to fund a new life if they find another job.