Most seafarers replacing the 800 workers sacked by P&O Ferries without warning are being paid below the UK’s national minimum wage, the boss of the company has admitted. The minimum wage in the UK for people aged 23 and above is £8.91 per hour.
Chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite, whose basic annual salary is £325,000, told a joint session of the Commons’ transport and business select committees that the average hourly pay of the new crew is just £5.50 per hour. The sacked crew earned an average of £36,000 per year.
Mr Hebblethwaite told MPs: “On the routes that are international routes, that are governed by ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) standards, we are paying above ITF minimum wages.” Business committee member Andy McDonald said: “That’s below the national minimum wage of this country. How do you reconcile that?”
