Nautilus demands action from UK government six months on from P&O Ferries scandal
21 September 2022
Saturday 17 September marked six months on from the scandalous decision by P&O Ferries to unlawfully dismiss 786 British seafarers without notice or consultation.
Nautilus International joined the Trades Union Congress in calling on the government, led by new Prime Minister Liz Truss, to hold P&O Ferries accountable for their unlawful actions.
Nautilus also is also highlighting that the recent decision by the Insolvency Service not to pursue a criminal prosecution of the company reveals frailties in UK employment and corporate law which must also be addressed. Actions like those of P&O Ferries must never be allowed to happen again.
Nautilus is therefore calling for the government and the newly appointed Secretary of State for Transport Anne-Marie Trevelyan to speed up delivery of the nine-point plan which seeks to extend the scope of the UK minimum wage and support the creation of minimum wage corridors between the UK and its neighbouring countries. Nautilus is also calling on the government to enact its 'Fair Ferries Strategy' to promote higher standards in employment and working conditions for seafarers reflective of local conditions, not international minimum standards.
Nautilus International general secretary Mark Dickinson said: 'Six months on from the scandalous sacking of 786 seafarers by P&O Ferries we repeat our calls for P&O Ferries to be held accountable and for action by government to ensure this can never happen again.
'We have a concrete proposal in our Fair Ferries Strategy to maintain and expand quality local employment in the UK ferry sector and bring an end the race to the bottom that P&O Ferries has turbo-charged. We need to create a genuine level playing field across the ferry sector here and with the help of our neighbours.'
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An open letter to the 800 seafarers sacked by P&O Ferries
P&O Ferries, a once-proud British business, unlawfully sacked 800 workers without notice or consultation via a recorded video call. That day 800 families had their lives ripped apart by a callous employer who couldn’t even look them in the eyes as years of hard work was literally rubbished.