Sea of protest over 800 illegal ship sackings
PROTESTERS came out in force to show solidarity for P&O’s illegally sacked workers yesterday, as one of the firm’s ships was deemed “unfit to sail”.
Hundreds headed for ports across the UK and called on the Government to scupper P&O’s move to replace 800 crew members with lower paid workers. In Hull, protesters amended the lyrics to Rod Stewart’s song Sailing and belted out “You’re not sailing” to drivers trying to board a ferry to Holland.
There were also demos in Liverpool, Southampton and Dover.
And in the Dutch port of Rotterdam, dock workers refused to load freight on a ferry set for Hull.
P&O ship, The European Causeway, is being held at Larne, Northern Ireland, by The Maritime and Coastguard Agency amid safety concerns.
The company said it will “make any changes required”.