Labour has written to the Prime Minister demanding he “stands up
for loyal workers in Britain” after 800 P&O Ferries’ staff
were sacked without notice.
Shadow Transport Secretary, , will today visit the
sacked workers at Dover port and is demanding the Prime Minister
take action including considering:
- Suspending the contracts and licences of DP World – the owner
of P&O Ferries – until this matter is resolved
- Remove DP World from the UK Government’s Transport Advisory
Group where they were appointed by the now Foreign Secretary,
, “to provide knowledge,
experience and strategic expertise” on trade negotiations
- Claw back taxpayers’ money handed over to DP World during the
pandemic
- Outlaw fire and rehire.
And in the letter the Shadow Transport Secretary calls on the
Prime Minister to answer key questions, including when his
government were notified of these redundancies, whether they were
aware of the tactics that would be used by P&O Ferries and
their intention to breach employment law prior to the
announcement.
Labour has also called on the Prime Minister to explain whether
the issue was raised on his visit to the United Arab Emirates,
which includes Dubai, whose investment arm is the ultimate owners
of P&O Ferries.
Commenting Shadow Transport Secretary, said:
“This was a despicable assault on workers’ rights.
“But British seafarers do not need meaningless platitudes - they
need action.
“That’s why the government must consider suspending licences and
contracts held with DP World, claw back every penny of taxpayers
money, and outlaw fire and rehire now.
“Boris Johnson went to the UAE with a begging bowl, and as he
returned eight hundred British workers were sacked without notice
by one of their investment arms.
“The Government must now stand up for loyal workers in Britain
being undermined by overseas billionaires.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- DP WORLD TO OFFER TECHNICAL AND STRATEGIC EXPERTISE IN UK
GOVERNMENT'S TRANSPORT ADVISORY GROUP:https://www.dpworld.com/london-gateway/news/latest-news/dp-world-to-offer-technical-and-strategic-expertise
- Letter to the Prime Minister text:
Dear Prime Minister,
Yesterday P&O Ferries, owned by DP World, sacked 800 workers
based in Britain without notice.
That any business feels they can get away with this behaviour in
Britain is a scandal, a damning indictment of the weak employment
laws, and your broken promises to protect workers’ rights.
But there are serious questions your government must answer:
- Given the Shipping Minister, indicated in the House of
Commons, that Ministers became aware of this decision by
P&O ferries on the evening of Wednesday 16th
March. Were you government aware of their despicable plan to
sack 800 workers without notice, and use security staff to
force workers off the ships? If you were, why was no action
taken?
- Why are the ultimate owner of P&O Ferries, DP World, an
entity of the Dubai state, sitting on the UK Government’s
Transport Advisory Group? Given their role is “to provide
knowledge, experience and strategic expertise” to the Government,
how on earth can this be justified in light of the despicable
assault on workers’ rights yesterday, and shouldn’t they be
removed?
- And given the appalling behaviour displayed by the company,
will you consider suspending licenses and contracts with P&O
ferries and their owners DP World until this matter is
satisfactorily resolved?
- Given you met with the Crown Prince of the United Arab
Emirates, which includes Dubai - the ultimate owners of P&O
Ferries - can you further confirm if the action was raised by
anyone on your visit to the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday?
- Will you be clawing back every penny of taxpayers’ support
provided to P&O Ferries and DP World during the pandemic?
- And given this shameful episode has exposed the weakness of
employment law, will you finally outlaw fire and rehire?
British seafarers don’t need meaningless platitudes - they need
action. It is time you stand up loyal workers in Britain being
undermined by overseas billionaires.
Shadow Transport Secretary
