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P&O Ferries sacks 800 workers but crew refuse to leave ships P&O Ferries sparks outrage by sacking 800 workers
(32 minutes later)
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P&O Ferries workers were told via video that it "was their final day of employment"
P&O Ferries has sparked outrage after sacking 800 staff with plans to replace them with cheaper agency workers.P&O Ferries has sparked outrage after sacking 800 staff with plans to replace them with cheaper agency workers.
Staff were told in a video call that today was their "final day of employment", but some are refusing to leave their ships in protest and face being forcibly removed. Staff were told in a video call that today was their "final day of employment", but some refused to leave their ships in protest and were forcibly removed.
P&O said it was a "tough" decision but it would "not be a viable business" without the changes.P&O said it was a "tough" decision but it would "not be a viable business" without the changes.
But the government called the workers' treatment "wholly unacceptable".But the government called the workers' treatment "wholly unacceptable".
"Reports of workers being given zero notice and escorted off their ships with immediate effect while being told that cheaper alternatives will take up their roles shows the insensitive way in which P&O have approached this issue," said Robert Courts, parliamentary under secretary for transport.
And the RMT union is threatening legal action against P&O, calling it one of the "most shameful acts in the history of British industrial relations".And the RMT union is threatening legal action against P&O, calling it one of the "most shameful acts in the history of British industrial relations".
The BBC has seen details of a contract for handcuff trained security professionals which began two days before they were deployed to Dover to remove staff from ferries.
TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady said P&O's "secret plan" to sack staff with no notice was "reprehensible".
P&O said its services would not operate for the "next few days", with passengers told to use other companies.P&O said its services would not operate for the "next few days", with passengers told to use other companies.
Security staff on board the Norbay in the Port of Liverpool
Crew on one ship docked at Larne Harbour in Northern Ireland had lifted the gangway after private security officers arrived to remove them.Crew on one ship docked at Larne Harbour in Northern Ireland had lifted the gangway after private security officers arrived to remove them.
The crew has now left the ship and Gary Jackson, a full time officer and RMT union member onboard the Pride of Hull, said they were "absolutely devastated" The crew has now left the ship and Gary Jackson, a full time officer and RMT union member onboard the Pride of Hull, said they were "absolutely devastated".
"At 11am ratings and officers were informed there was going to be a pre-recorded Zoom meeting. After that two to three-minute call all the crew were made redundant," he said,"At 11am ratings and officers were informed there was going to be a pre-recorded Zoom meeting. After that two to three-minute call all the crew were made redundant," he said,
"I've seen grown men crying on there because they don't know where they're going to go from today.""I've seen grown men crying on there because they don't know where they're going to go from today."
'We've been abandoned by P&O' say sacked staff'We've been abandoned by P&O' say sacked staff
The union said it had instructed members to stay on board their vessels once they have docked or risk being "locked out" of their jobs.The union said it had instructed members to stay on board their vessels once they have docked or risk being "locked out" of their jobs.
James Sloth, who has worked for P&O Ferries in Dover for around four years, said he felt abandoned by the company after all he received "was a three minute pre-recorded message saying we are out of a job. Nothing else."James Sloth, who has worked for P&O Ferries in Dover for around four years, said he felt abandoned by the company after all he received "was a three minute pre-recorded message saying we are out of a job. Nothing else."
"It was a complete surprise. I would have understood if it was at the height of Covid, but now we're seeing the end of travel restrictions and the start of summer bookings. So this has come completely out of the blue," Mr Sloth said."It was a complete surprise. I would have understood if it was at the height of Covid, but now we're seeing the end of travel restrictions and the start of summer bookings. So this has come completely out of the blue," Mr Sloth said.
Are P&O's actions legal?
RMT union members blocked traffic in Dover today in response to the 800 redundancies announced by P&O FerriesRMT union members blocked traffic in Dover today in response to the 800 redundancies announced by P&O Ferries
Darren Procter from the RMT said staff were given no warning. Workers are reported to have been escorted off their ships while being told that cheaper alternatives will take up their roles.
"We were informed that there were coaches full of individuals looking to replace the staff with no consultation with the staff or unions. We've seen minibuses full of workers and security staff who have had handcuff training. This is how they plan to treat staff who show resistance." "The approach adopted by P&O is not unheard of, but it is exceptional to forego appropriate notice and consultation processes," said Nathan Donaldson, employment solicitor at Keystone Law.
Downing Street said the way staff were told was "completely unacceptable". He said a government review of firing and rehiring in November 2021 did not outlaw the practice but emphasised "that it should be a process of last resort".
The spokesman said the government had not been given any notice of the action, saying it did not agree with the so-called fire and rehire practice of sacking workers and re-employing them on different terms. Rustom Tata, chairman and head of the employment group at law firm DMH Stallard, said P&O's actions would affect the brand's reputation due to the "apparently wholly planned approach being taken to such a large proportion of its workforce ignoring some of the basic fundamentals of employee relations."
Ann Francke, chief executive of The Chartered Management Institute, said P&O had "got it very wrong".
"It's shocking and appalling. It's like management behaviour from another era," she said.
P&O said its survival was dependent on "making swift and significant changes now".P&O said its survival was dependent on "making swift and significant changes now".
"We have made a £100m loss year on year, which has been covered by our parent DP World. This is not sustainable. Without these changes there is no future for P&O Ferries.""We have made a £100m loss year on year, which has been covered by our parent DP World. This is not sustainable. Without these changes there is no future for P&O Ferries."
P&O Ferries services scheduled for Monday include 14 between Dover and Calais, three between Liverpool and Dublin and seven between Larne in County Antrim and Cairnryan in Dumfries and Galloway.P&O Ferries services scheduled for Monday include 14 between Dover and Calais, three between Liverpool and Dublin and seven between Larne in County Antrim and Cairnryan in Dumfries and Galloway.
The cross-Channel operator has said on Twitter that sailings between Dover and Calais scheduled for today will no longer run, and customers with tickets were instructed to sail with rival ferry company DFDS. The cross-Channel operator said on Twitter that sailings between Dover and Calais scheduled for Thursday will no longer run, and customers with tickets were instructed to sail with rival ferry company DFDS.
P&O Ferries is one of the UK's leading ferry companies, carrying more than 10 million passengers a year before the pandemic and about 15% of all freight cargo in and out of the UK.P&O Ferries is one of the UK's leading ferry companies, carrying more than 10 million passengers a year before the pandemic and about 15% of all freight cargo in and out of the UK.
However, like many transport operators it saw demand slump in the pandemic,However, like many transport operators it saw demand slump in the pandemic,
The firm claimed almost £15m in government grants in 2020, which included furlough payments for its employees.The firm claimed almost £15m in government grants in 2020, which included furlough payments for its employees.
P&O is owned by DP World, the multi-national ports and logistics company based in Dubai. It paid a £270m dividend to shareholders in 2020.P&O is owned by DP World, the multi-national ports and logistics company based in Dubai. It paid a £270m dividend to shareholders in 2020.
'Frustrating''Frustrating'
Lauren Shaw and her husband told the BBC they were booked with P&O to travel on a ferry from Cairnryan to Larne at 16:00 on Thursday. "We had a phone call at 10am to tell us there would be no sailings today and that they hadn't been told a reason why," she said.Lauren Shaw and her husband told the BBC they were booked with P&O to travel on a ferry from Cairnryan to Larne at 16:00 on Thursday. "We had a phone call at 10am to tell us there would be no sailings today and that they hadn't been told a reason why," she said.
With no further information, the couple have started travelling to the port because they live four hours away - and are hoping for an update soon.With no further information, the couple have started travelling to the port because they live four hours away - and are hoping for an update soon.
"They said that if we get to the port, they may be able to put us on Stena Line, but it's not guaranteed," Lauren added. "It's really frustrating.""They said that if we get to the port, they may be able to put us on Stena Line, but it's not guaranteed," Lauren added. "It's really frustrating."
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