P&O Ferries sackings may have ‘broken the law’

P&O Ferries sackings may have ‘broken the law’, says Boris Johnson.

Speaking at the prime minister’s questions Boris Johnson revealed that P&O Ferries may have broken the law when it sacked nearly 800 people. P&O could face fines of millions of pounds if found guilty.

Mr Johnson commented: “We will not sit by, because under section 194 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act of 1992 it looks to me as though the company concerned has broken the law, and we will be taking action, therefore, and we will be encouraging workers themselves to take action under the 1996 Employment Rights Act.”

He went on to add: “If the company is found guilty then they face fines running into millions of pounds, and in addition we will be taking steps to protect all mariners who are working in UK waters and ensure that they are all paid the living wage.”

The chief executive of P&O Ferries Peter Hebblethwaite recently commented: “I want to say sorry to the people affected and their families for the impact it’s had on them, and also to the 2,200 people who still work for P&O and will have been asked a lot of difficult questions about this.”

He went on to add: “Over the last week, I’ve been speaking face to face to seafarers and their partners. They’ve lost their jobs and there is anger and shock and I completely understand.”

The CEO claimed that there was no other way forward for the company.

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