Trouble with P&O Ferries?

[niemeyjt]

Nothing surprises me about Failing Grayling - the only man to lose a rigged election.

[Ford Focus]

Must admit we preferred Brittany Ferries.

[hughnique]

Depends on the most convenient departure and arrival points, I don't know why they ever stopped the Dover Boulogne route, more convenient and saved half an hour at least on my journey south west.

[niemeyjt]

P&O boss Peter Hebblethwaite admits mass sackings broke the law

The chief executive of P&O Ferries has admitted to MPs that a decision to sack 800 workers last week without consulting the unions broke the law.

In his first public appearance since the sackings a week ago, Peter Hebblethwaite told MPs on the Commons business and transport committees there was "absolutely no doubt" that under employment law the ferry operator was required to consult unions before pushing ahead with the mass sackings.

"We chose not to consult and we are, and will, compensate everybody in full for that," he said, adding that P&O did not think unions would approve the sackings.

source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/20 ... broke-law/

[Ford Focus]

adding that P&O did not think unions would approve the sackings.[/i]

Bright lad ain't he?

[curtis]

Sounds like a resignation is is order.

[niemeyjt]

Sounds like a resignation is is order.

You're too honourable. As for Mr Hebblethwaite . . .

After confirming to two parliamentary select committees that he receives a basic salary of £325,000 a year and is in line for two bonus schemes, he admitted to MPs that he hasn't decided whether or not he will accept a bonus this year.

[elsie]

There is an article in the FT today https://www.ft.com/content/3fbc5918-ad0 ... f12d7dcd40 which, among other things, says P&O did a study on business sustainability including protecting the other 2400 workers and maintaining market share which concluded a full three month or more consultation would have cost over £300M with no guaranteed sustainable result.

It seems the arrival of Irish Ferries (which already uses lower-cost staff) posed challenges to the P&O operation. Will that also have implications for Stena in the longer term?

[niemeyjt]

But, will a consumer boycott, any settlement with workers and associated legal costs, along with possible bans from M&CA and insurers, also have been costed in?

[elsie]

This is Irish Ferries https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Ferries
In 2005, Irish Ferries replaced all its workers with foreign agency labour that was cheaper than that of its rivals, such as P&O Ferries, Stena Line and DFDS, thereby undercutting their prices. Its competitive practice, as well as the use of security personnel to carry out the replacement of its crewmembers, were described by many in the industry as a "blueprint" for P&O's 2022 sacking of hundreds of its seafarers.

They now have three ships on the cross Channel route as well as on the UK-Ireland routes so a lot more competition for P&O .

Is there going to be a boycott or investigation of Irish Ferries because they have cheap foreign labour? They've been very lucky so far as there has been little news reporting of their operation. The little I've seen so far all seems to be praise for their quality of service.