New HRM crew at less than £2 an hour, union claims

The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union called the low pay a “shocking exploitation” and “betrayal to those who have been fired”.

P&O said the figure was inaccurate, but said it could not comment on how much agencies pay workers on ferries.

Some P&O ferries are registered in Cyprus, which means they do not have to pay the minimum wage required by law.

Companies using UK ports often register ships in other countries, allowing them to pay lower wages.

The minimum wage in the UK for people aged 23 and over is £8.91 per hour.

Transport Minister Grant Shapps told Parliament: “Maritime workers in this country, not even much of the world, have been given the same benefits and protections that otherwise exist for workers and this is just not good enough and it is a practice we’ve had. looking for an end.”

He said ships in British waters were operated under international law governed by treaties, so British law did not always apply.

“These complications allow employers to take advantage in a way that we’ve seen, I think with P&O Ferries,” added Mr Shapps.

Mr Shapps told MPs he first heard about the prospect of P&O layoffs at 20:30 GMT the night before the workers were laid off, but said he didn’t get to the shipping box until the next day. fully aware of the scale.

Previously, transport ministry officials had told the BBC that Mr Shapps and maritime minister Robert Courts had only been notified on Thursday.

Shadow transport minister Louise Haigh said the government ministers had “completely failed to act” and the reported wages were “nothing short of betrayal to the workers protecting this country’s supply chain during the pandemic”.

A P&O spokesperson said that safety was the top priority and that the new crew management model was used by many competitors.

“They have recruited experienced, high-quality seafarers, who will now familiarize themselves with the ships and go through all the mandatory training requirements set out by our regulators,” he said.

Mr Shapps said the government is reviewing all of its contracts with P&O Ferries.

He had asked the insolvency office whether P&O had complied with the layoff rules – and if not, “that would be a matter for criminal prosecution and unlimited fines”.

Mr Shapps also told MPs that P&O Ferries would have to remove UK credentials from their ships if they replace laid-off workers with non-UK staff.

The Spirit of Britain, Pride of Canterbury and Pride of Hull are some of the names used for the operator’s ferries.

The Transport Secretary told MPs it would be “totally inappropriate” for the company to “cling to this country” without British workers.

The protests took place Monday near parliament and also outside the London offices of P&O owners, DP World.

John, a former seafarer with P&O Ferries in Dover, said the layoffs were “a catastrophe” for all crew members involved and he wants the company’s CEO to resign.

“A company that had built its reputation over 180 years only to be destroyed in a single morning of madness by those responsible.

“It’s not just a job, it’s a home and to be kicked off the ship in the most indecent way … it’s a disaster for our entire lives,” added John, who declined to give his last name.

He expects to lose his severance package for speaking to the media, but said he “knew the difference between right and wrong”.

Mick Lynch, general secretary of the RMT, said the HR staff is “being replaced by exploited workers, vulnerable workers from abroad”.

“We have nothing to do with those people. We want those people to get the wages we negotiated in this country,” he said.

The union has called for a boycott of HR services and is urging the government to look into legal options to re-engage the dismissed workers.

Ferries between Liverpool and Dublin have started up again and other routes are expected to follow by the end of the week.

The service was discontinued on Thursday after P&O announced in a video call that 800 employees would be laid off with immediate effect.

The M20 in Kent will close between Junctions 8 and 9 from 8pm GMT while a barrier system is being installed to manage any disruptions caused by P&O freight, National Highways said.

The motorway is expected to reopen on Tuesday at 06:00 GMT, when lorries bound for Dover Port or the Eurotunnel will use the coastal lane on the M20, where they will queue if necessary.

All other traffic – including local freight and car drivers bound for the continent – must follow and cross signs to enter the countercurrent on the M20 London carriageway, National Highways said.