P&O Ferries sacks all 800 crew members across entire fleet

[muriel_volestrangler]

The leading UK ferry operator P&O Ferries has sacked its crew across its entire fleet after stopping all its sailings on Thursday.

Unions called it a “scandalous betrayal”, and said about 800 jobs at all grades had been axed with no notice, with P&O planning to use cheap agency staff to operate its ships.

The operator, owned by the Dubai-based DP World, earlier told crew to return to port and await a “major announcement” in a sudden move likely to cause serious disruption to travel for passengers and freight.
...
P&O Ferries has nearly 4,000 employees, and said in May 2020 that it may have to make 1,100 redundant because of the coronavirus outbreak. It was given £33m in emergency funding by the government to ensure freight kept sailing.

A P&O representative earlier told the Independent that it was not facing liquidation.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/mar/17/po-ferries-halts-sailings-before-major-announcement

DP World is still rolling in money; this is just anti-worker BS to squeeze a profit out of a struggling (but one that won't disappear - ferries are as vital as ever) sector. I hope they are stopped using agency staff to try and run the ships.

[Chainfire]

1. Yesterday I was cooking burgers, today I am a Ferry Captain!

If I could just remember which is Port and which is Starboard....

[Emrys]

2. "Cheap agency staff" rings a few alarm bells.

Ununionized workers with uncertain experience, and possibly problems with having a common working language - what could go wrong?

Apart from that, it's an absolutely disgusting way to treat its (now ex-)workers.

I wonder whether there'll be a legal challenge to this under employment law, to accompany the current occupation of the ferries?

[LeftishBrit]

3. Zoicks. Nasty

[Layzeebeaver]

4. in the same timeframe as when Boris was visiting

trying to get more oil.

with him, it's all related IMO.

[Emrys]

5. I think it's time to brandish the N-word

Last edited Fri Mar 18, 2022, 08:19 PM - Edit history (1)

Nationalization.

Andy Burnham used it in a Channel 4 News interview tonight. I cheered him because I've been saying it for days.

As an archipelago, ferries are essential for national security, and can't be jeopardized at foreign investors' whims.

They say the company isn't viable? Fine. In that case, if they won't behave in a decent fashion, we'll relieve them of the burden for pennies in the pound.

Some may say the Tories would never do this, but it took Nixon to break the diplomatic logjam with China.

And in recent years, the Tories have proven less doctrinaire about state ownership, e.g.:

Boris Johnson has shifted the Tories left on the economy. Labour should watch out
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jan/30/boris-johnson-tories-left-economy-labour

National railways: How much further into Labour’s territory will the Tories go?
https://www.newstatesman.com/spotlight/2021/07/national-railways-how-much-further-labours-territory-will-tories-go

[T_i_B]

6. You mean like CalMac Ferries in Scotland?

If things are this dire with P&O then this will have to be an option I'm afraid.

[Emrys]

7. CalMac are currently offering interviews to any staff laid off by P&O

CalMac's Managing Director Robbie Drummond has issued a statement regarding P&O Ferries:

"We at CalMac were shocked and saddened to hear about the redundancies at P&O Ferries. This is an awful situation for our many ferry industry colleagues.

"We have vacancies currently available, including a number of Deck Ratings and Seaman Pursers required to start in April, and would encourage anyone affected to apply as soon as possible."

More details of these vacancies, and how to apply, can be found at:

https://www.calmac.co.uk/article/8671/Ref-806-SG-Deck-Ratings

https://www.calmac.co.uk/article/8504/Ref-809-SG-Seaman-Purser

https://www.calmac.co.uk/article/8674/Statement-regarding-PO-Ferries

As a ferry firm, they're not perfect by any means, but Scotland's geography and weather pose particular difficulties. A hop across the Channel would be a doddle in comparison!

[T_i_B]

8. Well, I do prefer Oban to Dover!

It's more a matter of how many of the ex P&O staff can relocate such a long distance.

[Emrys]

9. Well, I think they only have a pretty limited number of vacancies.

Still, it's a nice gesture of solidarity. Hopefully, some way will be found to avoid the redundancies.