P&O protesters gather outside Port of Liverpool

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Workers and their supporters are expected to raise placards and banners at Cairnryan Port, Stranraer, on Thursday in the latest protest against the dismissal by P&O Ferries of 800 staff.
Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers Union (RMT) General Secretary Mick Lynch said: “P&O clearly feel they can get away with whatever workplace brutality they choose to hand out and the union remains determined to turn the tide and get our members back on the vessels operating safe services on these crucial ferry routes.”

Protests have been staged across the UK since P&O carried out the sackings via video message on March 17, including in Portsmouth, Dover, Hull, Liverpool and London.

Meanwhile, P&O Ferries announced on Wednesday that it is preparing to resume sailings from this weekend on routes suspended since it sacked the workers.

The firm revealed plans to restart operations on four of its ships. It has been prevented from running all but one of its vessels since March 17.

A P&O Ferries spokesman said: “From this weekend, P&O Ferries are getting ready to resume services across a number of vital routes. P&O has been working closely with regulators to ensure our ships are safe to sail.

“P&O is looking forward to welcoming back vital services and we expect to have two of our vessels ready to sail on the Dover/Calais route by next week, subject to regulatory sign-off, namely both the Pride of Kent and Spirit of Britain between Dover/Calais.

“P&O are also expecting to be able to sail both the European Causeway, which runs between Larne and Cairnryan, and the Pride of Hull, which runs services between Hull and Rotterdam.”

The ferries will need to pass inspections by the Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) before operations can restart.

However, the MCA said: “There are no further inspections of P&O Ferries at the moment and we will reinspect at the appropriate time”.

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It comes as the TUC warns plans to tackle abuses by ferry companies which do not pay the minimum wage will be unworkable unless enforcement powers are beefed up.

Unions reacted with anger this week to reports the long-awaited Employment Bill will not be included in next month’s Queen’s Speech.

They say only new legislation improving worker protections will prevent another P&O-style scandal.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “A lack of enforcement will kick the legs out from under the Government’s minimum wage plans.

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“Our weak enforcement regime lets rogue employers like P&O ride roughshod over fundamental workers’ rights.

“The UK is in the midst of a crisis of enforcement that goes well beyond the maritime industry.

“If ministers fail to deliver the Employment Bill again, they will be toadying up to bad bosses.”

Lord Hendy, speaking in the House of Lords, said the Bill could not be more topical, telling peers: “Our employment laws failed utterly to protect the jobs, incomes and careers of 800 P&O seafarers, sacked without consultation or warning and marched off their ships by security guards.”

The barrister and employment law expert urged the Government to explain why proposals set out in response to the P&O scandal did not include a tightening of the law to prevent repetition of such sacking by ambush.

He asked: “Is it connected with the reports that the proposal for an Employment Bill in the forthcoming Queen’s speech was overruled last week by the Prime Minister?”

Business minister Lord Callanan replied: “On the P&O issue the BEIS Secretary of State (Kwasi Kwarteng) has formally commissioned the insolvency service to urgently undertake a thorough inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the recent redundancies made by P&O Ferries that he referred to.

“We will not hesitate to take further action if we find evidence of wrongdoing and he will know that the Secretary of State for Transport (Grant Shapps) has also committed to applying the national minimum wage for seafarers.”

Tory peer Lord Balfe said: “At this moment, many workers are applauding what the Government has done for P&O and looking to them to honour the promise of the Employment Bill made two years ago which is more, not less urgent, now.”

Criminal and civil investigations have been launched into P&O Ferries’ move.

Mr Kwarteng, said on April 1 that the Insolvency Service had started “formal criminal and civil investigations”. The Insolvency Service confirmed: “Following its inquiries, the Insolvency Service has commenced formal criminal and civil investigations into the circumstances surrounding the recent redundancies made by P&O Ferries.

“As these are ongoing investigations, no further comment or information can be provided at this time.”

P&O Ferries chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite told a joint hearing of the Commons’ business and transport committees that his company broke the law by not consulting with trade unions before sacking workers.

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