The actions by P&O Ferries late last week were a national scandal, the decision to fire 800 staff without notice was a betrayal of the workers that kept this country stocked throughout the pandemic.
Today the Labour Party will stand up for these P&O workers in Parliament, we will demand:
P&O workforce reinstated and legal action taken against P&O
Government contracts suspended
Fire and rehire outlawed
Workers’ rights strengthened
Tough words from the Government are not enough when they had the chance to outlaw fire and rehire in October last year and they blocked our efforts. These seafarers do not need meaningless platitudes from Ministers, they need action.
This is the cruel consequence of the Tory assault on workers’ rights. The threat of Fire and rehire as a negotiating tactic is causing workers, unimaginable financial and mental pressure. The Government must outlaw this pernicious practise.
A Labour government will strengthen employee protections and ban fire and rehire to give people the security they deserve for an honest day’s work.
Jim McMahon OBE MP 