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P&O Ferries is facing widespread outrage and the prospect of legal action after its shock move yesterday to sack 800 seafaring staff over a video call.
Passenger and freight shipping routes could experience at least a week of disruption after the group dismissed its workers, who it plans to replace with cheaper agency staff in a brutal mass firing.
Mark Dickinsonthe General Secretary of seafarers union Nautilus Internationalsays the sacking have ‘ripped the guts out of everybody’.
He told Radio 4’s Today Programme
It is a dark day in the shipping industry.
I’ve been in this game for over 40 years and I’ve seen some curveballs and some shocking developments over those times, but this is a new low.
This is a new low for a shipping company to treat the due legal process in such an underhand and callous way has shocked me, taken my breath away.
Dickinson says Nautilus and the RMT union are “actively progressing” their legal response to the “clearly illegal” move.
The company is duty bound to consult, and consult with the trade unions. We have collective bargaining agreements for all the vessels on all the routes.
We’ve worked for this company for decades, through difficult times and good times.
This is clearly illegal.
P&O Ferries yesterday said it was not a viable business in its current state, as it was making a £100m loss year-on-year.
Dickinson says he recognises the difficulties the company has faced, particularly over the last two years. But it’s wrong to take it out on the crew – some of whom have spent their whole working lives with P&O Ferries.
To treat them like this is an absolute disgrace.
Yesterday, politicians on both sides called on the government to act to stop what Labour and trade unions called a “scandalous betrayal”.
The shadow transport secretary, Louise Haigh, said P&O Ferries’ dismissals, including the use of “handcuffed-trained security, some wearing balaclavas, marching British crew off their ships” were “the actions of thugs”.
Employment lawyers have also warned P&O may have broken several laws.
Employers are legally required to consult workers before making them redundant, and those wishing to make more than 100 redundancies must notify the business secretary at least 45 days in advance.
P&O could be hit with claims for unfair dismissal, as Tom Longpartner at law firm Shakespeare Martineau, explained:
“If employees are made redundant they can bring a claim of unfair dismissal in the employment tribunal, with the maximum compensation being up to a year’s salary in most cases. If they were not paid their notice or a statutory redundancy payment, claims could also be brought for these payments. If P&O failed to carry out appropriate collective consultation in advance of the dismissals, the trade unions could bring a claim about that failure, with a potential award of up to 90 days’ gross pay per affected employee if the claim succeeded.”
“It appears that P&O will be offering “enhanced severance packages” to staff to compensate them for their dismissals, but whether that offer will be sufficient to prevent significant litigation awaits to be seen.”
Also coming up today
Russia’s central bank is setting interest rates today – last month it doubled rates to 20% after the invasion of Ukraine let to sanctions and financial chaos.
The agenda
- 10am GMT: Eurozone trade balance for January
- 10.30am: Bank of Russia interest rate decision
- Noon GMT: RMT demonstration against P&O sackings in Dover and Hull
- 1pm GMT: RMT demonstration againt P&O sackings in Liverpool