Union leaders attack ‘obscene’ payouts Bosses at the Dubai company behind P&O Ferries have shared more than £15 million after the sacking of hundreds of UK-based crew last year.
The payments, revealed a year after a restructuring led to the sacking of 800 seafarers, drew huge criticism from unions.
This video by the TUC is a must-watch.
Maritime union, RMT has hit out at the “obscene” profits made by DP World – the company that owns P&O Ferries.
Ahead of the one-year anniversary when P&O unlawfully sacked 786 seafarers, DP World is raking in huge profits and revenues.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “On the eve of the first anniversary of the P&O Ferries scandal, it is frankly obscene that the oligarchs at DP World are raking in billions in profit and have faced no punishment for P&O’s illegal sacking of nearly 800 UK seafarers and trashing employment law.
“Our servile Tory Government hasn’t even clawed back P&O Ferries £11m taxpayer furlough money and, incredibly, is even striking international development deals with this undemocratic regime.
“What happened at P&O Ferries could happen to any other worker connected to DP World and RMT will be taking a message of resistance and support for British workers to DP World’s London HQ on 21st March. I urge workers from across the maritime, Freeports and logistics sector to join us on this demonstration.”
Furlough
In 2022 the billionaires behind the ferry giant received £270million in dividends in the same year it claimed £10million in taxpayer cash to pay staff on furlough.
The company came under scrutiny after suspending all ships and ordering crew and passengers off ferries at ports across the UK as 800 employees were sacked on a zoom call.
Bonus
A year on despite outrage at the time, no staff have been reinstated, no law reforms initiated, and no sanctions started against directors or owners.
Now it has been reported that P&O bosses shared a £15m bonus pot after sacking 800 crew.
Angela Rayner tweeted: “The Tories have failed to act to prevent another P&O Ferries scandal, leaving a trail of broken promises in their wake. Labour in power will put an end to fire and rehire once and for all.”
This week the parent company of P&O ferries announced profits of £1.5bn, up 35%.
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