by Graham Tutthill

SeaFrance cross-Channel ferry crews could stage a strike on Friday as the latest move in the company's plan to cut more than 500 jobs.

Staff and management are due to meet on Monday to continue their talks on the future of the company.

The employee consultative committee is expected to give its final views on the company's redundancy plan which has changed since it was first announced in February, but involves shedding hundreds of jobs and some of the fleet of cross-Channel ships.

It is understood that the CFDT union has called the strike to protest at what it describes as the company's "inflexibility".

Union officials say that what is being proposed is far more severe than is needed to address SeaFrance's financial situation.

The union wants the French government to appoint a mediator to help resolve the dispute.

But SeaFrance say that any further delay in implementing the redundancy plan will increase the risk of the company failing to obtain the financial support of its parent, French national rail operator SNCF, and therefore becoming insolvent.