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LAST UPDATE | 19 Mar 2022
A MARITIME UNION has urged the UK Transport Secretary to revoke P&O Ferries’ licences in British waters as the operator resumed services on one of its routes.
Nautilus International general secretary Mark Dickinson has written to Grant Shapps encouraging the Government to take urgent action against the ferry operator after it sacked 800 workers two days ago.
In a letter, published on Twitter, Dickinson called for Shapps to “hold P&O to account” in six ways, including revoking its licences to operate in British waters and pursuing “any legal option available” over how P&O handled the mass redundancies.
He wrote: “The action of P&O Ferries, terminating the employment of 800 British seafarers with immediate effect and without any consultation, is deplorable and a betrayal of British workers.
“This decision by P&O is a major blow to the British maritime industry… we cannot sit back and allow P&O Ferries to sink the nation’s maritime strategy.”
BREAKING 🚨: Nautilus International general secretary @Mdickinson1262 has written to @grantshapps, outlining our key demands for government to hold P&O Ferries accountable for their despicable behaviour sacking 800 loyal & dedicated crew!
— Nautilus International (@nautilusint) March 19, 2022
Our 6 key demands listed below 🧵 pic.twitter.com/bPzICE9ceP
Shapps wrote to Peter Hebblethwaite, chief executive of P&O, on Friday and said he was “questioning the legality of this move” and reviewing P&O Ferries’ contracts.
It comes after the ferry operator said it was cutting the jobs in a “very difficult but necessary” decision as it was “not a viable business” in its current state.
Sailings were halted on Thursday morning following the announcement, with P&O Ferries telling passengers they would remain suspended “for the next few days”.
However on Saturday, P&O said it had resumed one of its services crossing the Irish sea.
An update on the company’s Twitter feed said: “We have now resumed services between #POLiverpool & #PODublin. For booking information please visit our website.”
Other routes remain suspended or cancelled.
Shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said the firm must not be allowed to resume sailings with replacement workers.
Haigh said: “P&O must not be allowed to sail today with replacement agency labour for loyal workers unjustly sacked this week.
“Strong words from the Government are meaningless – they must step in and act.”
Meanwhile, the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union said around 300 people attended a demonstration near the Conservative Party spring forum in Blackpool.
RMT was in attendance at the protest, which was organised by Nautilus International.
East Hull Labour MP Karl Turner posted photographs of them carrying banners and flags which read: “Save P&O jobs! Save Britain’s Ferries!” and “Stop the P&O jobs carve up” as they paraded through the streets of the town.
Full solidarity to those out in Blackpool at the Tory Conference with the @RMTUnion today. The Government need to listen and act with us on Monday to send a message to P&O, that their behaviour is completely unacceptable. #SaveOurSeafarers pic.twitter.com/ZXw3tYRyfn
— Karl Turner MP (@KarlTurnerMP) March 19, 2022
Conservative Party chairman Oliver Dowden told Times Radio there is “revulsion” about P&O Ferries’ actions this week, adding that the Government is trying to establish whether the move was legal.
A spokesman for P&O Ferries said: “We took this difficult decision as a last resort and only after full consideration of all other options but, ultimately, we concluded that the business wouldn’t survive without fundamentally changed crewing arrangements, which in turn would inevitably result in redundancies.
“We also took the view, in good faith, that reaching agreement on the way forward would be impossible and against this background that the process itself would be highly disruptive, not just for the business but for UK trade and tourism.
“We have offered enhanced severance terms to those affected to properly and promptly compensate them for the lack of warning and consultation.
“The changes we’ve made bring us into line with standard industry practice.”
He added that all affected crew who were working at the time were notified face-to-face and in-person on board their vessels. Those who were off were called, emailed or texted.
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “Ministers and officials have expressed their outrage and frustration at P&O Ferries on their decision and handling of their announcement, and are closely considering the department’s relationship with the company.
“The Transport Secretary has instructed a total examination of any contract in place with P&O Ferries and DP World across Government, and the department is working closely with unions, Department for Work and Pensions, and industry bodies to ensure that workers are supported and signposted to the most relevant support.
“We have serious concerns that their handling may not have followed the correct and legal processes, and strongly urge P&O Ferries to pause the changes announced, and speak with workers to repair the damage caused.”
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Horrendous act of pure evil. With guns available so readily any person with a grievance or psychotic motive can commit a mass murder at any time, anywhere.
5th a mass KILLING this year alone, it’s 23 January. That’s a mass shooting every 4 days or so.
There’s actually been 33 Mass Shootings in January – That’s almost 1.5 mass shootings per day!
Any other country experiences a mass shooting and the next day they are putting into place stricter gun controls. Not America, they want to put guns in everyones hands to protect others against a mass shooter… what a weird way of thinking…
‘Murica.
@Rafa Condron: they live in different world over there.
So sad to think of all the needless deaths and suffering. I am not sure that gun control would even be enough – but it might be a start. However, something in the US physic seems to create an element of self entitlement which manifests in many ways and not just in mass shootings. Still we hope and pray.
National Rifle Association – I hope you’re happy. As long as you resist reasonable legislation to curb gun control, these events will continue.
No doubt more weapons would sort out this type of problem, maybe even a few tanks. Yeah, let them have tanks. Freeeedoom!
There are more guns than people in the US. Literally.
@Bert Carolan: I can’t remember the exact statistic, but it would take an incredible amount of time to decommission all the guns owned in America. I think it was beyond decades and into hundreds of years. The logistics that would be involved are staggering.
The article states this is the fifth mass shooting of 2023. However, according to CNN who reference Gun Violence Archive this is in fact number 33.
https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/01/23/politics/mass-shootings-in-2023-what-matters/index.html
@Steve: 5th mass killing. There have been of course 33 mass shootings as I said in the comments already.
Not a bit surprised. It’s the norm in Amercia to go around shooting people.
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