Fury, disgust, shock: How politicians reacted to P&O mass sacking with staff to be replaced by ‘cheap foreign labour’

The news caught politicians in the Province and beyond off-guard, and today everyone from Sinn Fein and the SNP to the DUP and Tory Party stood united in condemnation of P&O’s actions.

The day’s events even seemed to surprise P&O itself.

At the start of the day it was advising customers that “regretfully, P&O Ferries services are unable to run for the next few hours”.

By lunchtime this had been changed to “the next few days”.

Then later in the day East Antrim DUP MLA Gordon Lyons said he had spoken directly to the chief executive of P&O and that “the company have informed us that it will be another week before ships can operate from Larne”.

He added that “with over half of all our freight moving through Larne Port, this announcement will also cause supply problems”.

However, Mr Lyons said the CEO “assured us there’ll be no redundancies” at Larne Port.

What this will ultimately mean for both Larne and Cairnryan is uncertain though.

East Antrim UUP MLA Roy Beggs said both ports are ultimately owned by P&O’s parent firm DP World, and the news “does not bode well for the immediate future of the NI economy”.

One of the recurring themes today is that the workers coming in to replace the sacked staff are supposedly from outside the UK.

The RMT union described the new intake as “foreign labour”.

Meanwhile Labour MP Grahame Morris described them as “overseas seafarers who will work for cheaper rates – it is an absolute and utter disgrace”.

Here is how some of our other politicians have reacted, from right wing to left, and republican to unionist:

IN THEIR OWN WORDS:

> DUP East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson: “Despite operating purely between UK ports, P&O will now be paying third world wages to their crew. This raises serious concerns about the company’s morality.”

> UUP MLA John Stewart: “With the Port of Larne being owned by P&O through its Dubai-based parent company, and with the only ferry services currently operating from Larne being P&O Ferries, we’re in a very uncertain and precarious situation indeed.”

> Stewart Dickson, Alliance MLA: “[P&O have shown] underhanded behaviour which is not acceptable at best and draconian measures to remove staff at worst. Given P&O owns Larne Harbour, urgent questions now need asked as to the potentially vast impact locally.”

> Sinn Fein MLA Caoimhe Archibald: “I extend our solidarity with those workers and their families who are today receiving this awful news. P&O must be held accountable for these unscrupulous actions and the British government needs to take action in defence of these workers.”

> Mid and East Antrim TUV councillor Matthew Armstrong: “For staff to be thrown off the boats at Larne and ordered to clear their lockers by security staff wearing balaclavas and carrying tasers and handcuffs illustrates in particularly graphic fashion how shamefully this has been done.”

> People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll: “This was premeditated and calculated to keep workers in the dark with no time to prepare. This is the brutal reality for workers in a free market system which prioritises profit above all else. PBP sends our solidarity to all workers impacted, particularly those who have occupied boats.”

> SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon: “[In conversation with P&O] I made clear my utter disgust at this appalling treatment of its workers. The Scottish government stands with these workers and will do everything possible to ensure fair treatment for them.”

> Labour transport spokeswoman Louise Haigh: “There are images circulating of what we are told are handcuff-trained security, some wearing balaclavas, marching British crew off their ships. This is not the way we go about business in this country.”

> Tory MP Huw Merriman, chairman of the Westminster transport committee: “P&O, this once-great flag carrier of the seas, have made an appalling error. If they do not reverse immediately and reinstate the employees and follow proper process, it’s hard to see a way back for them commercially.”

> Nigel Farage: “It is a disgrace that cheap foreign workers will replace 800 sacked P&O Ferries staff. Brexit was about putting our people first.”

MOVE WILL SLASH COSTS IN HALF:

Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror carried a letter attributed to P&O boss Peter Hebblethwaite (who is also a director of Larne Harbour Ltd, the entity directly in charge of the port).

The letter reads: “As of this morning, we are severing the contracts of all 800 Jersey-contracted seafaring colleagues with immediate effect and will be compensating them for lack of notice with enhanced severance packages.

“They are being offered support and being encouraged to access our employee assistance programme if they feel they need it, either now or in the coming days.

“As part of their package, they are also being offered careers advice and support.

“Today we have entered into a new partnership with International Ferry Management (IFM) who are an international crewing company, and they will be responsible for providing new crews for all those ships affected by this change.

“Our new teams of seafaring colleagues have already joined our ships.

“Our new crew are now going through a process of intense familiarisation and training programme on our ships, run by IFM. Only when that process has happened, will we gradually return to a normal service safely and securely – upholding our P&O standards and brand.”

The letter adds that this will all cut crew costs by 50%.

The website of DP World, the Dubai-based owners of P&O run by Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, said nothing in its news section about the turmoil in the UK.

One of its most recent news articles, however, was headlined: “DP World announces record results as EBITDA increases 15% to $3.8 billion” (EBITDA being earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation – a bit like net income).