The sacking of 800 workers by P&O Ferries is devastating for every single one of them. The staff, some of whom have served the company for decades, were told – by video call – that they were no longer employed, with immediate effect.
The news has been widely criticised, with MPs describing the company’s behaviour as “callous” and “disgraceful”. One union said it was a “shameful” move, while protests against the ferry company were held at several UK ports.
Lawyers will no doubt be involved in the aftermath over the coming weeks and months. And a key question for them to examine will be whether it is legal to dismiss staff summarily on the grounds of redundancy. One would imagine that the company’s own lawyers had already signed off on the precise wording of the statement delivered by a company executive on the afternoon of March 17, 2022.
