P&O accused of 'gangster behaviour' after sacked workers' belongings 'go missing'

P&O accused of 'gangster behaviour' after sacked workers' belongings 'go missing'
Joseph Gerrard 3 AUG 2022 https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/po-accused...

The union leader spoke after allegations were made that most sacked crews, including those in Hull, have not been properly compensated for lost belongings

The leader of the trade union representing sacked P&O ferries workers has accused the company of gangster behaviour amid claims it has not compensated most workers for losing belongings.

Mick Lynch, leader of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), called for action following claims most sacked crews were not compensated for belongings left on ships. P&O Ferries were contacted for comment on the claims which date back to the mass sacking of almost 800 crew members in March, including 82 in Hull.

It comes after sacked P&O seafarer-turned-campaigner John Lansdown alleged the company had not appropriately compensated workers for personal belongings which went missing following the sackings. Crews occupied ferries, including the Pride of Hull, after the company fired them without warning in March before sending in private security to remove them.

Mr Lansdown tweeted: "P&O Ferries have still not appropriately compensated many of the sacked 800 workers for their missing personal belongings that P&O Ferries claim to have 'lost'.

"You found the money to break the law. You can find the money to compensate appropriately. Get on with it."

Mr Lynch said the removal of workers left many unable to collect their belongings after the sackings. The RMT general secretary said: "There is seemingly no end to the gangster capitalist behaviour of P&O.

"Not only did they unlawfully sack 800 staff, but they also frogmarched them off preventing many from returning to collect their possessions. The government should immediately cancel all contracts they have with P&O, impound their vessels, and take over the running of the ferries in British waters."

P&O Ferries Chief Executive Peter Hebblethwaite defended the company's actions in the wake of the sackings by claiming the firm would have collapsed amid mounting losses without action being taken. Unionised crews were sacked en masse and have since been replaced by agency workers from overseas earning well below the UK minimum wage, according to multiple sources.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps called for Mr Hebblewaite to resign and referred him to the Insolvency Service, ordering them to determine if he was fit to remain in post. Mr Hebblewaite was later promoted to another directorship within the company.

There was further controversy in May when the head of P&O Ferries' parent company DP World said the sackings were an amazing job. Chief Executive Sultan Sulayem said the decision had avoided the loss of some 3,000 jobs after the Financial Times asked him why it was necessary despite the company receiving £11m in coronavirus furlough money.