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P&O bosses refuse to meet unions and workers during protests in London

RMT dubs P&O Ferries’ vessels ‘ships of shame’ after it was revealed that staff replacing the sacked workers will be paid just £1.82 an hour

BOSSES refused to meet sacked P&O workers’ leaders yesterday during a demonstration at the London headquarters of the ferry firm’s parent company DP World.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch accused DP World of treating the workers “with contempt” after he, Nautilus union general secretary Mark Dickinson and TUC head Frances O’Grady had their request for a meeting turned down.

There was another protest outside Parliament, where MPs were  debated a proposal to ban peremptory sackings and the notorious fire-and-rehire tactic.

During the debate, Labour called on the government to begin immediate “criminal action” against P&O Ferries and DP World, and to suspend all its contracts to force the company to “reverse course.”

Shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh told the Commons: “What have cabinet ministers actually managed to do? They have written a strongly worded letter to the wrong person, and signposted workers to the job centre.

“The central calculation of DP World, that this government would not lift a finger to stop them, has so far been proven right.”

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the treatment of workers was “shameful and utterly unacceptable,” and that those who lost their jobs would receive support.

RMT said that, in 2020, the government had given a commitment “on the need to introduce legislation to stop shipping companies paying below the minimum wage.”

Mr Lynch said: “It is scandalous that, over two years ago, the government knew there was a problem with the legislation but failed to act. Its failure has now led to today’s crisis.”

The P&O sackings have been taken up by the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) and European Transport Workers’ Federation, which called on DP World to open talks with RMT and Nautilus.

ITF president Paddy Crumlin, who also chairs the federation’s dockers’ section, said: “DP World’s callous decision to sack and attack 800 hard-working seafarers represents a brutal attack on their dignity.

“In doing so, it’s breaching laws and failing to meet its own company’s standards.”

The ITF is seeking a meeting in Dubai with DP World chief executive Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem to discuss the mass dismissals.

DP World received £30 million in emergency government funding, including furlough payments, during the Covid-19 pandemic.

RMT dubbed P&O Ferries’ vessels  “ships of shame” yesterday after it was revealed that the overseas mariners replacing the sacked workers will be paid just £1.82 an hour.

The union demanded that Prime Minister Boris Johnson meet a delegation of sacked workers, saying that for two years the government had delayed the introduction of legislation that would have protected them.

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