P&O Ferries latest news LIVE: Chaos at Dover as lorries stranded after operator sacks 800 crew members

The Port of Dover was plunged into chaos on Thursday afternoon after P&O Ferries sacked 800 crew members.

Lorries and passengers were left stranded in check-in lines at the port as employees staged protests, with pictures showing huge queues of cars stuck in gridlock.

The firm sparked fury after announcing that all 800 of its seafarers would be made redundant to stem “unsustainable” financial losses.

The RMT Union instructed staff to stay on board vessels once they were in dock or risk being “locked out” of their jobs.

General secretary Mick Lynch said: “We have instructed our members to remain onboard and are demanding our members across P&O’s UK operations are protected, and that the Secretary of State intervenes to save UK seafarers from the dole queue.”

P&O told customers to use rival operators after suspending its operations.

Dover: P&O ferry services suspend sailings

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Live updates

17 March 2022

That is the end of the Evening Standard’s coverage of the P&O sackings. Good night

17 March 2022

Lawyers representing P&O union staff say sackings unlawful

Social justice law firm, Thompsons Solicitors, is acting for the RMT union to fight on behalf of the sacked P&O Ferries workforce.

Neil Todd, trade union law expert at Thompsons Solicitors, said:

“P&O’s sudden decision to fire all 800 UK staff – via a pre-recorded video call and without a single shred of consultation - is a shocking disregard of the most basic employment law.

“The law states that if you’re dismissing more than 20 employees, you must consult with them. The larger the number of employees being dismissed, the longer the consultation should be – up to 45 days. Aside from the legal requirement for due process to be followed, it’s simple common decency to communicate openly, honestly and in good time with your employees, many of whom will have worked loyally for the company for years.

“To blame COVID-19 for these sackings, when P&O took furlough payments and is part of a hugely profitable group of companies, is beyond cynical.

“This is a shocking example of a major British employer acting in a wholly atrocious manner - attempting to bypass unions, sack hardworking employees and instead hire staff from agencies who will be underpaid and un-unionised. This is hardly the post-Brexit Britain that the Conservatives promised.

“In our view what they did was unlawful and we are considering all options including employment tribunal claims and High Court proceedings.”

17 March 2022

Downing Street condemn P&O firings

Number 10 says tactics used by P&O to sack 800 crew were “completely unacceptable”.

Boris Johnson’s spokespersons said officials were in “urgent” talks with the company about its plans.

“We do not agree with the practice of fire and rehire and would be dismayed if this is the outcome they were seeking.”

People onboard the P&O European Causeway ferry docked at Larne Port (David Young/PA)
PA Wire
17 March 2022

Minister 'angry' at P&O's treatment of workers

17 March 2022

Starmer: ‘My blood is boiling’ over P&O sackings

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the treatment of 800 seafarers sacked by P&O was “disgusting”.

“It just makes my blood boil. It is a complete betrayal of the workforce. It’s just disgusting,” he told BBC Radio Humberside.

“This is a company that had furlough during the Covid crisis. It is absolutely disgusting what they are trying to do. They mustn’t be allowed to get away with it.

“I just wish the Government had done what we said and strengthened employment rights so they couldn’t do this kind of thing.

“The Government said it was going to deal with this sort of situation. It hasn’t done it.”

17 March 2022

Nationwide protests announced across three ports -RMT Union

17 March 2022

Days of disruption expected

Travellers have been warned they face days of disruption following P&O’s “appalling” decision to sack 800 seafarers, a move which left the Government “angry”.

Transport minister Robert Courts led the condemnation of the decision by the ferry operator, bought by Dubai-based logistics firm DP World in 2019, to replace the workers with cheaper agency staff.

Mr Courts told MPs that routes affected included Dover to Calais, Larne to Cairnryan, Dublin to Liverpool, and Hull to Rotterdam, but that “alternative provision” from other operators was being provided.

Labour compared the treatment of workers to the “action of thugs”.

17 March 2022

P&O bosses spent £147million on golf tournaments despite £146million pensions blackhole - MP

Labour’s Barry Gardiner says P&O have a £146m deficit in their pension fund. Yet their parent company spent £147m sponsoring a golf tournament, he says. He says the company has been treating the government “like fools”.

Courts says he agrees with the general point he is making about how the company has behaved.

17 March 2022

The Government first found out about P&O’s decision to fire its staff on Wednesday night, a minister said.

Labour MP Justin Madders (Ellesmere Port and Neston) said: “P&O have clearly been working on this for some time. Can the minister tell us when they first informed the Government of their intentions?”

Transport minister Robert Courts replied: “He is probably right, that P&O have been considering this for some time. The Government was first informed of this during yesterday evening.”

Labour MP for York Central Rachael Maskell warned that seafarers are “safety critical workers working in a safety critical industry”, and called on the Government to ensure that “no ship sails with agency staff” because of the safety risk.

17 March 2022

RMT secretary says P&O redundancies show state of capitalism

“This is the state of capitalism in Britain at the moment,” says RMT Union general secretary Mick Lynch.

“They’ve recruited a set of security guards who were told to turn up with handcuffs and first aid training.”

He tells BBC he is expecting a response from a minister in next hour and warns that DP World has its eye on the new freeports and will be looking to drive down pay and conditions there too.

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