A leading trade union in Scotland has condemned P&O's announcement of mass redundancies.
The Scottish Trade Union Congress said that they "will not permit hundreds of workers to be sacked on the spot to be replaced by cheaper labour" whi and have called for an "urgent statement" from the Government.
P&O Ferries, which runs sailings from Scotland to Northern Ireland, has said it is making 800 workers redundant in a bid to save the company which lost around £100 million pounds last year.
P&O said its survival was dependent on making swift and significant changes immediately.
"Without these changes there is no future for P&O Ferries," a P&O spokesperson said in a statement.
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It reported that the ferries will be kept running with agency staff. The staff who were made redundant will be served with severance packages, with the operator calling it a "necessary decision".
P&O sailing staff will be able to apply for work with the agency.
STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer told Glasgow Live : “This is a damning, outrageous move from P&O and we offer our full support to the RMT Union and all their members.
“We cannot – and will not - permit hundreds of workers to be sacked on the spot to be replaced by cheaper labour whilst P&O scramble to remain viable.
“We need to see an urgent statement from both the UK Government and the Scottish Government on how they intend to halt this scandalous misuse of employer power."
Scottish Liberal Democrat economy spokesperson Willie Rennie said: "The breaking news that P&O has suspended all sailings and reports its staff are to be made redundant is deeply troubling.
"The Cairnryan link to Northern Ireland run by P&O is an important link.
"It would be completely unacceptable for P&O workers to be sacked and replaced with foreign agency labour.
"The First Minister must speak with P&O and make clear that such action will be met with hostility from this government.”
