By P&O Ferries says sacking U-turn would cause collapse
P&O Ferries has hit back at the government’s calls to reinstate the 800 workers it has sacked, insisting it would cause the firm’s collapse.
Chief Executive Peter Hebblethwaite said reversing the cuts would lead to the loss of an additional 2,200 jobs.
The transport secretary gave P&O “one final opportunity” to reemploy staff on their previous wages.
Hebblethwaite said the company had “painstakingly explored all possible alternatives”.
He said that more than 500 of the sacked crew had accepted and signed settlement agreements and that he could not change the 31 March deadline for seafarers accepting their redundancy offers.
In a letter in response to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, Mr Hebblethwaite wrote: “Complying with your requests would deliberately cause the company’s collapse, resulting in the irretrievable loss of an additional 2,200 jobs.
“I cannot imagine that you would wish to compel an employer to bring about its downfall, affecting not hundreds but thousands of families.”
Today, we have written to the Secretary of State for Transport in response to his latest letter. pic.twitter.com/XbLWSHKgS1
— P&O Ferries (@POferries) March 29, 2022
The 800 sacked staff were replaced with agency workers, who are earning an average of £5.50 per hour, which is less than the UK minimum wage.
The shock news provoked fury from the public, trade unions and politicians as no notice was given to workers, who received the news via video.
Boris Johnson, Grant Shapps and many other politicinas called for Hebblethwaite’s resignation last week, after he admitted his decision to sack 800 workers without consulting unions first broke the law.
However, Mr Hebblethwaite said he would not step down.
He said he felt compelled “to discharge my duties for this historical company” and provide “the effective operation of the trade routes upon which this country depends”.
“I will there continue to do my utmost to ensure that this company has a sustainable business for the future.”
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