Infrastructure Minister Phil Gawne says commercial decisions by the Steam Packet are a matter for the company, even in the face of possible service cuts.
Mr Gawne says he is aware of the worries of staff, which centre around the competing freight service run by Mezeron.
They claim the company could cut back on passenger services under the user agreement with the government, as the competition takes its toll on profits.
Mr Gawne says any such decision would be for Steam Packet management to make:
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