Brazen P&O boss ‘must resign’ over sackings scandal
BORIS Johnson has backed calls for the boss of P&O Ferries to resign as the Government pledged to change the law to stop other firms trying to “knowingly break the law”.
The Prime Minister stepped in amid outrage at Peter Hebblethwaite for admitting he broke employment law over the sacking of 800 workers without notice.
The chief executive, who is paid a base salary of £325,000 and lives in a £1.5million Cotswolds farmhouse, told MPs on Thursday that he “would do it again” and called the new workers’ £5.50 hourly wage “competitive”.
Politicians branded him a “shameless criminal” and called for him to step down, saying his position was “untenable” and there should be a criminal prosecution.
Asked if the Prime Minister supported the call for Mr Hebblethwaite to quit, a No10 spokesman said: “Yes.”
Meanwhile queues of lorries continued to snake around Dover yesterday as the fiasco caused freight delays.
Arrogance
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told Sky News: “I thought what the boss of P&O said yesterday about knowingly breaking the law was brazen and breathtaking, and showed incredible arrogance.
“I cannot believe that he can stay in that role, having admitted to deliberately go out and use a loophole – well, break the law, but also use a loophole.” Pressed on whether that meant he was calling for Mr Hebblethwaite to resign “right now”, he added: “Yes.”
The Cabinet minister also claimed he “didn’t see” an email sent around Whitehall about P&O’s plans the night before the mass sackings.
And he downplayed his department’s role in the fiasco, after Mr Hebblethwaite told MPs that Mr Shapps knew about the intention to slash jobs in November.
Mr Shapps said P&O Ferries was trying to “distract attention” from its failure to provide notice of job cuts by claiming it informed him of its plans last year.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Mr Shapps promised to “make sure the laws are changed to stop them
using loopholes like flagging their ships in Cyprus to avoid and evade British law and not give notice of what they are doing, and not talk to the workers and the unions”. On Thursday, Mr Hebblethwaite acknowledged there is “absolutely no doubt” the ferry operator was required to consult with unions before replacing its crews with cheaper agency workers last week.
He also admitted the new crews are being paid below the
UK’s minimum wage of £8.91 per hour for workers aged 23 and above, apart from on domestic routes, but insisted this is allowed under international maritime rules.
Talks between union officials and P&O Ferries ended after 20 minutes without any agreement yesterday.
Obnoxious
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said the “obnoxiousness and hostility” of the company was on display at the meeting.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “P&O were not prepared to listen to any scenario or develop any idea that would provide a means to create a solution to the current disastrous situation.
“RMT will continue to press the Government for an immediate intervention by whatever means necessary to make P&O perform a U-turn and get our members reinstated.
“We also call on the entire labour movement, the public, the freight and logistics sector and the political community to support an immediate and total boycott of all P&O services.”