The treatment of 800 UK seafarers by DP World and P&O is a total disgrace. The companies informed the seafarers at P&O Ferries via video they were being sacked without any notice or consultation with trade unions.

Replacement workers were then brought in with largely overseas crews recruited to work below the national minimum wage. A security firm was used to provide ‘handcuff trained’ guards to remove workers from the P&O fleet.

Under the Trade Union & Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, the Secretary of State should have received notice of these redundancies from P&O Ferries, yet government ministers receive no such notification. Trade unions are now seeking support from across the spectrum and the wider public to oppose this shocking attack on workers.

P&O made 600 UK seafarer redundancies during the pandemic. Although unions opposed this, they report that the full redundancy process required under UK law was observed by DP World and P&O Ferries.

DP World posted huge profits of $1.3 billion last year and paid a dividend of $275 million to its owner, the state-owned Dubai World company. It’s worth remembering that the taxpayer supported P&O Ferries with a £13.2m pot and provided support through the initial furlough scheme.

The Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson, must not let DP World and P&O Ferries get away with trampling over workers’ rights.

They must take action and support legislation to stand up for 800 British seafarers who worked throughout the pandemic to save the company from liquidation.

Joan Pritchard-Jones