Neil Moors- Registered: 3 Feb 2016
- Posts: 1,022
800 redundant. Just like that. Devastating.
Jan Higgins likes this
Arthur- Registered: 18 Nov 2020
- Posts: 334
It will be interesting to see how our illustrious MP can put a positive spin on this one but I’m sure she’ll try to turn it to her advantage.
ray hutstone- Registered: 1 Apr 2018
- Posts: 1,956
No need to worry. Grant Shapps and Natalie are on the case.
Neil Moors- Registered: 3 Feb 2016
- Posts: 1,022
Government statement at 5pm. This better be good.
I wonder what options are available? Suspending their licence to operate in UK ports? Or something along those lines?
How I Wrote Elastic Man- Registered: 5 Dec 2020
- Posts: 81
800 staff to be replaced by cheaper foreign labour? How is this possible? Did they reflag to Cyprus 3 years ago, and promise not to make changes to seafarers T&C's
https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/brexit-news-p-o-to-register-uk-ferries-under-cyprus-flag-because-39608/Neil Moors- Registered: 3 Feb 2016
- Posts: 1,022
I assume/guess that the foreign workers will not technically live or work in the UK?
Karlos- Location: Dover
- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 2,246
Bus loads of Filipino workers ready to board apparently.
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 22,814
Every employee shoujd be concerned on this .
Not the first time p and o had taken this route
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Button
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 22 Jul 2016
- Posts: 2,656
From Nat: This is devastating news for all P&O workers & their families. It is a u-turn on assurances given to me and the RMT Union over the last two years. It is shabby corporate behaviour by Dubai’s DP World and an insult to the decades of loyalty and hard work by Dover’s workforce.
(Not my real name.)
ray hutstone- Registered: 1 Apr 2018
- Posts: 1,956
Keith Sansum1 wrote:Every employee shoujd be concerned on this .
Not the first time p and o had taken this route
This is not the same as Sir Jeffrey's P&O feifdom. It's a totally separate company with a radically different management ethos. No value whatsoever in conflating the two.
It's bitterly ironic that the RMT voted in favour of leaving the EU and consequently its employment laws. Yet another chicken coming home to roost.
Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 6,768
Neil Moors wrote:It has clearly been planned for weeks.
Neil Moors likes this
'If no one went no faster than what I do there'd be a sight less trouble in this world'
Button- Location: Dover
- Registered: 22 Jul 2016
- Posts: 2,656
Well that's going to go down like a lead balloon with PoDP! Dock pass anyone?
Caught in the middle:
https://www.doverport.co.uk/about/news/port-of-dover-statement:-pando-ferries-14.30-17th-ma/13644/.
(Not my real name.)
Neil Moors- Registered: 3 Feb 2016
- Posts: 1,022
Just watched the Parliamentary statement. The Minister delivering the statement looked fairly shocked to be fair - and was clearly disgusted. However, not much at all on detail. I'm not sure Government gets it yet, but they are going to have to go nuclear with this - stopping P&O operating however they can manage that. It just won't stand - British workers sacked for cheaper foreign ones is about as bad as it gets politically.
Some interesting points did arise:
1. Government first found out about this last night
2. DP World are going to run two of the UK's freeports (whatever they are), and big pressure to review those awards now.
3. Literally every MP to speak expects the Government to stop this happening.
4. Linked to 3, Minister was given the benefit of the doubt by everyone - but clearly going to have to work fast to get on top of detail about what government can do to respond robustly.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 22,814
This looks like a done deal Neil
P and O have been working on this for some time having the cheap labour ready to board .
It's a new low in industrial relations ,
A very sad day for Dover
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,504
The whole way that P&O have acted absolutely stinks and logically does not really add up, will local shore staff be next? I just hope the public and UK freight hauliers no longer choose to use the company.
The ferries are supposedly losing money but employing cheap labour will not make that much of a difference, surely common sense says just sell and close that side of the business and concentrate on the profitable side.
This devastating news not only affects the unfortunate workers but will have a downward knock on affect to the whole local area.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Arthur- Registered: 18 Nov 2020
- Posts: 334
Perhaps a radical rethink of who is allowed to own companies in this country. Recent times are highlighting the problems of foreign ownership. That is in no way intended as a racist comment.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,900
I agree Jan On social, media I’m wary of my feelings and comments.Its the knock on effect that will be the problem .
I feel sorry for the Aycliffe residents lorries parked up again .Our local economy will suffer..
ray hutstone- Registered: 1 Apr 2018
- Posts: 1,956
Make of it all what you will. I'm not claiming specific knowledge.
P&O Ferries is effectively owned by the state of Dubai, part of the UAE from whence Boris returned just a day or so ago.
Then this happens. Our sitting MP, the shipping minister (Courts) and so many others now ringing their hands in horror, voted down Barry Gardiner's 'fire and rehire' bill which set out to curb this sort of activity.
EU employment law no longer has any validity here.
Freight volumes are dropping as our trade with the EU falls and passenger numbers have been adversely affected by many factors, primarily Covid. Yet Eurotunnel, DFDS and the new boys Irish Ferries continue to trade.
A strange concurrence of events, regardless of one's political views.
The Gov and Neil Moors like this
Neil Moors- Registered: 3 Feb 2016
- Posts: 1,022
The more I think about this, the more I feel the government will stop it. It’s literally the ultimate test of Brexit; if UK workers can be replaced by overseas staff in such a simple way, what was the point? Because stopping this Sort of thing was the whole point. It’s also ideology, will the government introduce emergency legislation to stop this (if they find they don’t already have the powers)? Or will they be scared of the impact on foreign investors in the UK? This will run and run.
Weird Granny Slater
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 7 Jun 2017
- Posts: 2,603
'Pass the cow dung, my dropsy's killing me' - Heraclitus
Neil Moors likes this'If no one went no faster than what I do there'd be a sight less trouble in this world'
'Pass the cow dung, my dropsy's killing me' - Heraclitus
