P&O Ferries sacks 800 workers but crew refuse to leave ships

[Chippy_Tea]

Maybe if you had said you were playing devil's advocate you wouldn't have got the reaction you did from me and the other members, not only did you not say you were playing devils advocate all your posts read as if you agree with P&O and you never said you didn't, are you really surprised those of us who are disgusted by the way P&O have treat their staff rounded on you?

 

[foxbat]

I have heard but only heresay that P&O are claiming the employment of the staff is covered under Maritime law and not UK Employment law but as I have said could be true could be B0!!ock5

From what I read in the Times all the ships concerned have been recently re-registered in foreign jurisdictions which would place them outside the reach of all UK law, maritime or otherwise.

 

[Rodcx500z]

There will be one winner in this P&O, they have dangled the carrot 36.5 million depending on lenth of service some will recieve upwards of 170 thousand pounds, same as aircraft industry known as cost of doing business

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Two of P&O Ferries' competitors are set to meet officials from the Department for Transport to discuss the fallout from P&O's decision to sack 800 staff.
Bosses from DFDS and Stena Lines have been invited for talks on Monday as the government plans to force ferries to pay the minimum wage in UK waters.
P&O Ferries prompted outrage when it replaced staff with agency workers paid less than the minimum wage.
The prime minister has backed calls for the boss of P&O Ferries to resign.
Last week, P&O Ferries boss Peter Hebblethwaite admitted to MPs that the decision to sack 800 workers without notice broke the law.
On Saturday, protests took place at several ports, with unions holding demonstrations at Dover, Hull and Liverpool.

• Are the P&O Ferries sackings legal?
• Union raised concerns over Irish Ferries last year

Authorities have detained P&O Ferries' European Causeway in Northern Ireland, saying the vessel was "unfit to sail".
The ship was held in Larne over "failures on crew familiarisation, vessel documentation and crew training", the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said. P&O Ferries said it would make changes to return the ship to service.
Unions have raised fears over a lack of training of new crew, after P&O replaced their members with agency workers whose average hourly rate of pay would be £5.50 - less than the UK minimum wage.
As the company's ships operate internationally and are registered overseas, the UK minimum hourly rate of £8.91 does not apply.
P&O Ferries has said it had to replace crews as it was losing £100m a year, and would not be a viable business without making the changes.
However, this week Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is expected to propose measures which will force ferry companies to pay UK minimum wage when a ship is in UK waters.
There has also been concern over the possible disruption to Easter holiday travel plans if P&O ships are unable to sail.
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "Ministers are working to understand how we can ensure the continuation of services in collaboration with other operators, including DFDS and Stena."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60895833

 

[Dutto]

After the Iranian Revolution in 1979 Conoco/Dupont (at the time one of the biggest companies in the world) decided to make me and a friend redundant, because they couldn't find positions for us anywhere in the world!

As a result, Steve started up what became a very successful Real Estate Agency and I decided it was time to work for myself, so I ultimately formed a company that kept me gainfully employed for over 20 years!

It was hard for both of us over the first few years, but luckily it was in an era when the Government funded new Companies for a year (at £40 a week) and work was always available if you were prepared to travel.

How the hell the people made redundant by P&O are expected to find other employment is beyond me; and the chance of this Government giving them a helping hand to get off the dole is almost non-existent.

I for one will never sail with P&O again; especially after that dreadful man from P&O told the committee of MP's that they knew they were breaking the law and went ahead anyway.

How that man sleeps at night baffles me and his actions makes me think that he has ever known hardship in his life. There is a lot of sense in the slogan "For the many and not the few!"