Dozens of people gathered in protest against P&O in the wake of it making 800 staff redundant.
Groups gathered outside the Port of Liverpool in Seaforth on Wednesday, April 6, after the ferry company terminated the contracts of 800 workers with immediate effect on March 17. Staff were told the news in a pre-recorded video message on Zoom.
The staff were replaced with agency workers who earned less than the UK minimum wage. P&O has faced heavy criticism since the mass redundancies were revealed and a number of protests have taken place at the Port of Liverpool in Seaforth.
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Men and women were carrying signs reading 'stop the P&O jobs carve up' and were wearing 'Boycott P&O' badges. Lorry drivers going in and out of the port sounded their horns as they drove past the group.
General Secretary of RMT, Mick Lynch, said: "Our Fair Ferries campaign will continue, and the ruthless behaviour of P&O will not be tolerated by our union in the maritime industry or anywhere else."
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps called for the boss of P&O Peter Hebblethwaite to resign and vowed to force the company to pay its crews the minimum wage. However, there are now fears a Bill aimed at beefing-up rights could be dropped from the Queen’s Speech, where the Government outlines its proposals for new legislation, on May 10, reports the Mirror.
The Employment Bill's listed aims are to make provision about the rights of workers, including to negotiate pay and join trade unions and employee associations. It also will aim to amend the definition of worker; to make provision about the employment rights of members of the armed forces; to make provision about employee representatives on company boards; and for connected purposes.
The bill has passed its first reading in the House of Commons, but unions are concerned that it may be dropped by the Government. As a result, Trades Union Congress general secretary Frances O’Grady has written to Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng demanding action.
