P&O Ferries news LIVE – Travel chaos could last WEEKS as sailing suspended for 10 days after 800 staff suddenly sacked

Protestors DEMAND P&O reverse its ‘appalling decision’

Hundreds of protestors gathered at UK ports demanding P&O Ferries to reverse its “appalling” decision to sack 800 seafarers.

Demonstrations were held in Dover, Liverpool, Hull and Larne in Northern Ireland a day after the DP World-owned company fired the staff with no notice and replaced them with cheaper agency workers.

The protesters included sacked workers, seafarers from rival operators, trade union leaders, politicians and members of the public.

Shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh, who joined the rally in Dover, described P&O’s actions as “nothing short of a national scandal”.

“This is a disgraceful way for a Dubai-based conglomerate to treat British workers in this country,” she told the PA news agency.

She added: “I will be taking action in Parliament next week to push the Government to take sanctions against P&O now, to push leverage on them, to force them to change course and if it’s not illegal … then we need to make sure it is immediately made so.”

Manchester Mayor urges Government to nationalise P&O

Speaking at the protest at the Port of Liverpool, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said the Government should consider nationalising P&O.

He said: “I say to the Prime Minister: you have to step in and you have to deliver on your commitment to strengthen employment law so this kind of gangster practice can’t be allowed to happen any more.”

Mass sacking ‘is nothing short of a national scandal’

The shadow transport secretary has said that 800 P&O workers losing their jobs is “nothing short of a national scandal”.

Louise Haigh, who joined protesters in Dover, told the PA news agency: “It’s nothing short of a national scandal that 800 P&O workers were unceremoniously dismissed on a pre-recorded Zoom call yesterday and I wanted to come straight down to Dover to stand with these workers and show my full solidarity.”

She added: “I will be taking action in Parliament next week to push the Government to take sanctions against P&O now, to push leverage on them, to force them to change course and if it’s not illegal … then we need to make sure it is immediately made so.”

She said that P&O workers “deserve more” than what happened to them.

“This is a disgraceful way for a Dubai-based conglomerate to treat British workers in this country,” she added.

Downing Street warns P&O it is looking at sackings ‘very closely’

Downing Street has warned P&O Ferries it is “looking very closely” at the legality of its decision to sack 800 staff in a mass sacking yesterday.

The staff were fired without notice on Thursday and replaced with cheaper agency workers.

Demonstrations are being held at ports on Friday, with unions calling for a boycott of the company.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said the Government was looking to see if P&O has broken rules.

“We are looking very closely at the actions that this company has taken to see whether they acted within the rules,” the spokesman said.

“Once we have concluded that, we will decide what the ramifications are.

“Obviously there are a lot of valid questions in relation to existing contracts.”

Thank you for reading this morning’s coverage. Milica Cosic now logging off, and I shall be passing the blog to my colleague Joe Gamp.

He’ll be bringing you the latest news and updates until 10pm tonight.

COnsequences of P&O sacking staff

P&O is replacing axed staff with cheaper workers, with busloads of agency staff already boarding ferries.

Bosses claimed they need to hire the cheaper workers instead to plug a £100million black hole in the business.

They dramatically halted all services early on Thursday before the 11am firing bombshell.

And ferry ports were later plunged into chaos as passengers, workers and lorry drivers had nowhere to go.

As well as running passenger services, PNO is a major freight carrier on the Dover to Calais route.

This handles a third of the goods trade between Britain and the EU, including large amounts of food.

Among the abandoned were kind-hearted Brits, unable to transport aid to Ukraine as they were forced to divert their loads.

What does P&O stand for?

P&O is the abbreviation for The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company.

It was founded in 1837 by London shipbroker Brodie McGhie, former Royal Navy clerk Arthur Anderson, and Dublin Shipowner Captain Richard Bourne.

The company won contracts to transport mail via sea.

This included a government contract to transport the precious written cargo between Falmouth, Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Cadiz and Gibraltar. 

The first P&O ship was called the William Fawcett and was owned by Richard Bourne.

It travelled on routes from London to Spain and Portugal in 1835.

Brutal moment security tell P&O crew they have ‘two hours’ leave

THIS is the brutal moment security told P&O crews they have “two hours” to pack up their things and get off the ferry.

In a virtual speech a company chief yesterday told workers their contracts were terminated immediately following losses of more than £100 million.
The 800 workers were sacked immediately, with no notice, so they can be replaced by cheaper labour.

Now another video, showing the cruel moment workers were told to get off a boat with no notice, has appeared on social media.

In the video security men in high-vis vests are seen speaking to the sacked seafarers with no sign of sympathy.

One of the men says: “I think two hours would be a reasonable time for you to pack your stuff up and be ready to leave.”

The stunned workers sit in silence before replying: “We need to talk to the union.”

The security then says: “That’s fine but you’ve got two hours.”

Another shocked P&O worker then asks: “What happens after those two hours? Are you going to start dragging us off?”

To which the security guard replied: “We’re allowing you a reasonable time. I’m giving you a reasonable amount of time. You’ve got two hours.”

P&O boss says job cuts will halve crewing costs

P&O Ferries will halve crewing costs through by replacing 800 seafarers with agency workers, according to the boss of the ferry operator.

In a letter obtained by Mirror Online, Chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite explained: “The changes we’re making to our crewing model today (will) reduce our crewing costs by 50%.”

He wrote that the firm was “severing the contracts of all 800 Jersey-contracted seafaring colleagues with immediate effect”.

He added: “We have entered into a new partnership with International Ferry Management (IFM) who are an international crewing company, and they will be responsible for providing new crews for all those ships affected by this change.

“Our new teams of seafaring colleagues have already joined our ships.

“Our new crew are now going through a process of intense familiarisation and training programme on our ships, run by IFM.

“Only when that process has happened, will we gradually return to a normal service safely and securely – upholding our P&O standards and brand.”

‘We were left high & dry when P&O cancelled our ferry’

A COUPLE have been left “high and dry” after P&O Ferries cancelled their trip and sensationally axed hundreds of staff.

Gavin and Jackie Shaw had a P&O ferry booked from Larne in Northern Ireland at 4pm on Thursday but were left stranded after the firm’s mass sackings.

Mr Shaw told Sky News this afternoon he and his wife had “heard nothing from P&O” and were forced to re-book another ferry with rival firm Stena Line for £174. 

He said: “We are left a wee bit high and dry.

“P&O were trying to say that all their tickets would be honoured by Stena Line. I am afraid this turned out not to be true.

“Stena Line don’t know anything of this so-called arrangement. We have had to rebook with Stena Line at a cost of £174, which is unfortunate.”

Mr Shaw said he has tried to “frequently” contact P&O but has not been able to speak to any member of staff.

‘Not something government can stop’

A minister has claimed that the government is unable to prevent P&O sacking 800 seafarers and ultimately replace them with cheaper agency staff.

Armed forces minister James Heappey told BBC Breakfast that the government was powerless to stop it saying, “I think that is the reality”.

Heappey continued: “The government anger will mean very little to those who have been sacked. I do feel very sorry for those people.

“I do think P&O have behaved disgracefully and I wish that P&O had given the government and the unions more opportunity to engage with them to try to save those jobs.

“Ultimately, it is not something the government can stop P&O from doing. Now the focus will be on supporting those who have lost their jobs.”

Explained: Who owns P&O? 

Although originally a British owned company, P&O Ferries was sold to DP World, an international Emerati logistics company based in Dubai in 2006.

It was taken over by investment company Dubai World shortly after.

Then, in February 2019 DP World bought P&O Ferries back from Dubai World in a deal costing an estimated £322million.

P&O, who employed 1,700 staff back in 2020 has suffered sustained financial losses of “£100m year on year” according to a P&O statement released on the day of the mass redundancies.

A statement, released on March 17, 2022, said: “We are providing 800 seafarers with immediate severance notices and will be compensating them for this lack of advance notice with enhanced compensation packages.”

P&O worker slams the Dubai-owned firm

RMT boss Mick Lynch branded the sackings “one of the most shameful acts in the history of British industrial relations”.

And one P&O worker slammed the Dubai-owned firm for “stabbing us in the back”.

The dad of two, in his 20s, said of his video call firing: “I had to switch  off.

“They claim the firm is running at a £100million loss  but DP World who run it from Dubai is thriving.

“What they want is British seafarers gone as they see us as too expensive.

“The new foreign workers are already on board. And I’ve got nothing against them. But clearly the company has been planning this behind our backs for a  long time. It’s not fair.

“We should have been given notice. Not half an hour.”

Employees ‘fired via Zoom’

P&O employees were ambushed yesterday morning via Zoom and reportedly given just “five minutes to get their stuff and get off the ship”.

Security teams in balaclavas were then drafted in to remove P&O staff — some given just five minutes to gather gear from quarters.

Defiant captain Eugene Favier refused to leave his Pride of Hull ferry in protest and barred cops and security from boarding.

Other workers blocked roads near Hull and Dover as queues of lorries built up.

Passengers were marched off ships, or stopped from boarding, leaving thousands stranded.

Huge queues at ports after P&O axes ferry routes

HUGE queues snaked outside ports last night after P&O Ferries sensationally axed all routes for up to TEN days.

The company was labelled “appalling” after it brutally axed 800 crew members over Zoom on Thursday.

It said it was cancelling services for the “next few days” before confirming the wait could be as long as TEN while the company “locates new crews”.

Bosses dramatically halted all services early on Thursday before the 11am firing bombshell.

And ferry ports were later plunged into chaos as passengers, workers and lorry drivers had nowhere to go.

At Dover, dozens of employees who lost their jobs stood on the road with banners and flags saying: “Stop the P&O jobs carve-up.”

One lorry driver trying to enter the port began shouting and beeping at those in the road, before being told: “We’re not moving.”

Milica Cosic logging on this morning, and will bring you the latest news and updates.

Mass sacking slammed as ‘highly immoral’

A mum whose husband and son have lost their jobs branded mass axing “highly immoral”.

She told Kent Messenger: “When P&O suspended sailings this morning crews were waiting on the ships with no idea what was happening – even the captains didn’t know.

“Then pictures emerged of three coach loads of foreign workers waiting at ports to take their jobs. They were already wearing P&O uniforms – yet the staff still hadn’t been told they were being let go.

“They were told they had five minutes to get their stuff and get off the ships. These guys are week on week off workers who have called these ships home for half of the year every year.

“They have personal effects in lockers which they can’t get to – clothes, bedding, photographs and in some cases financial documents which will be taken out and thrown.”

Nicola Sturgeon condemns P&O announcement as ‘appalling’

Nicola Sturgeon has condemned ferry operator P&O’s decision to sack 800 seafarers and replace them with cheaper agency workers after claiming it is “not a viable business” in its current state.

The firm, bought by Dubai-based logistics giant DP World in 2019, said it has suspended sailings “for the next few days”, including its route between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

On Twitter, the Scottish First Minister said: “I’m deeply concerned at P&O announcement – due to the importance to Scotland of Cairnryan/Larne route obviously, but also the impact on 100s of workers.

“Fire & rehire is an appalling practice & offends the basic principle of fair work.”

MPs line up to condemn P&O

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”.

Making an emergency statement to the House of Commons, Mr Courts said: “Reports of workers being given zero notice and escorted off their ships with immediate effect while being told cheaper alternatives would take up their roles shows the insensitive way in which P&O have approached this issue, a point I have made crystal clear to P&O’s management when I spoke to them earlier this afternoon.

“I am extremely concerned and frankly angry at the way workers have been treated by P&O.”

He added: “In taking this decision to make seafarers redundant, P&O have also today informed us they will be suspending services for approximately a week to 10 days while they locate new crew.”

Starmer says P&O treatment of workers ‘disgusting’

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.”

P&O workers clashed with motorists in Dover

P&O workers in Dover yesterday clashed with motorists after blocking a road close to the port in protest at being sacked.

Dozens of employees who lost their jobs stood on the road with banners and flags saying “Stop the P&O jobs carve up”.

A lorry driver trying to enter the port began shouting and beeping at those in the road, before being told “we’re not moving”.

One of the protesters, who had worked for the company for decades, told the PA news agency: “I refuse to move from this road, all this service for nothing.

“The police will have to take me away.”

How much compensation can I claim?

According to ABTA, you are entitled to compensation of 25% of your ticket price for the part of the journey that was affected, and if your service is delayed for at least:

• One hour for a journey of four hours duration
• Two hours for a journey of four to eight hours duration
• Three hours for a journey between eight and 24 hours duration
• Six hours for a journey of more than 24 hours duration.

If the delay exceeds double this, you’ll get 50% of the ticket price and you should get it within one month.

“But don’t assume when it comes to extras,” Martyn added.

“Speak to P&O to see if it’s willing to cover additional costs – don’t just book into a fancy hotel and hope it will cover it because of the chaos today, you might not get your money back for it.”

What does P&O stand for?

P&O is the abbreviation for The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company.

It was founded in 1837 by London shipbroker Brodie McGhie, former Royal Navy clerk Arthur Anderson, and Dublin Shipowner Captain Richard Bourne.

The company won contracts to transport mail via sea.

This included a government contract to transport the precious written cargo between Falmouth, Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Cadiz and Gibraltar. 

The first P&O ship was called the William Fawcett and was owned by Richard Bourne.

It travelled on routes from London to Spain and Portugal in 1835.

Can I get compensation if my trip doesn’t go ahead?

ABTA says your ferry operator should offer you accommodation free of charge if your ferry has been cancelled and you’re stuck for the night.

You should be able to claim back the amount you’ve paid for accommodation, though this may be subject to a limit.

Typically this is a maximum of £66 a night per passenger for a maximum of three nights.

But the actual amount you can claim will depend on the specific situation, including how long you have had to wait among other factors.