GONE VOYAGE
First P&O ferry sets off after jobs axe – with no new staff and no passengers
A P&O ferry has departed from a Scottish port for the first time since 800 workers were sacked.
The scandal- hit company’s European Highlander lef t the port at Cairnryan at about 3pm yesterday.
It had been held there since last Thursday af ter the controversial announcement that staff had been let go.
But images now show the ship having departed for Larne in Northern Ireland. Locals in Cairnryan said there were no staff on board and tickets weren’t available for the sailing. It came after the firm’s
European Causeway vessel failed a safety inspection and was kept in Larne. It is understood to still be detained at the port.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: “The vessel will remain under detention until all these issues are resolved by P&O.”
Meanwhile, union leaders have warned the P&O sackings have sparked a “race to the bottom” for ferry workers and put thousands of jobs at risk. Fears for seafarers in the £ 8billion industry mounted as it emerged a second firm is threatening to sack crew members and replace them with cheaper agency workers if Boris Johnson fails to block P&O’s dismissal of 800 staff.
Danish rival DFDS, which employs 2700 crew, lorry drivers and office staff in the UK, has told Transport Secretary Grant Shapps it will be unable to compete if the P&O decision to pay wages as low as £5.50 an hour is not overturned.
Mick Lynch, leader of the Rail,
Maritime and Transport union, said: “P&O has kicked off a race to the bottom on our ships and dithering by government over P&O’s illegal act is threatening more jobs cuts at competitors.”
P&O boss Peter Hebblethwaite has been urged by MPs to quit after acknowledging there is “absolutely no doubt” the ferry operator was required to consult with trade unions before the sackings.
P&O has been contacted for comment.