The company suspended all sailings ahead of a “major announcement”, it said in an announcement this morning. It has since been reported that all sailing staff working for P&O Ferries have been made redundant.
P&O Ferries said in an internal statement it will make “a major announcement” which will “secure the long-term viability of P&O Ferries” leading to speculation that hundreds of jobs would be lost. The company went on to say it was not going into liquidation.
P&O Ferries said in the statement that “to facilitate this announcement all our vessels have been asked to discharge their passengers and cargo and stand by for further instructions. This means we’re expecting all our ports to experience serious disruption today.”
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ITV News has now reported the redundancy is with 'immediate effect' and that the ferries will be kept running with agency staff. P&O sailing staff have been told that they will be able to apply for work with the agency involved.
ITV's Shehab Khan said on twitter: "Understand that all sailing staff at P&O Ferries have been made redundant with immediate effect. The company will use an agency to keep their ferries running and current staff will be able to apply to the agency for work."
Labour MP Karl Turner posted a photograph of a coach which he stated contained “new foreign crew waiting to board the Pride of Hull” at King George Dock, Hull.
Members of the RMT union are “sitting in onboard the vessel”, so the new crew “will not be boarding her”, he wrote. Mr Turner added: “We understand that both current officers and ratings are to be sacked.”
The BBC has reported that staff onboard are refusing to disembark the ships. A seafaring P&O employee told the BBC his colleagues onboard have refused to disembark and are instead "in their cabins refusing to work".
Speaking to the PA news agency, one driver in Calais due to return to the UK said he had been waiting for a ferry since 6am.
“More than anything I’m frustrated at the fact nobody from P&O was there to help and advise … I’ve never had such shoddy service from anybody.”
The driver, who wished to remain nameless, said he had been able to rebook with DFDS, saying: “I’ve had to exit the port and go through the entire process again, not to mention paying for another ticket at a higher price with them. I would have appreciated somebody at least telling us what to do."
Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union general secretary Mick Lynch said there is “growing speculation that the company are today planning to sack hundreds of UK seafarers and replace them with foreign labour”.
He added: “We have instructed our members to remain on board and are demanding our members across P&O’s UK operations are protected, and that the Secretary of State intervenes to save UK seafarers from the dole queue.”
A spokesman for the firm said: “P&O Ferries is not going into liquidation. We have asked all ships to come alongside, in preparation for a company announcement. Until then, services from P&O will not be running and we are advising travellers of alternative arrangements.”
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said his officials will be having “urgent discussions” with P&O Ferries as he expressed concern at the suspension of sailings.
Shadow transport minister Mike Kane said: “Worrying news has just broken that P&O Ferries have been called to port as DP World, their owners, seek the long-term viability of this ferry company.
“Major disruption is expected. Can the Secretary of State update the House on any discussions he’s had with DP World, P&O Ferries of any potential redundancies, and any redundancies that may happen we don’t want those crews replaced by foreign cheap labour.”
Mr Shapps replied in the Commons: “I am concerned with this news which is breaking on P&O Ferries. I understand they have temporarily paused their operations and that’s causing disruption at the short straits – Calais-Dover – as well as some other ports."
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said he would allow an “emergency statement” from the Government on Thursday if needed.
