P&O Ferries sacks workers and docks ships

[tim]

The govt doesn’t need directives to sort this out, it can just call in p&o and say they're not getting any more govt contracts. They could sort it in 5 mins - if they wanted to.
As far as brexit is concerned this kind of behavior is what they want to see more of.

That might work for SERCO or CAPITA, but would probably get thrown out in court. However, I doubt that P & O are very dependent on government contracts.

 

[tim]

It's not just wages, but overall terms of employment too.

At least some of these agency staff are expected to work 12 hours a day, 7-days a weeks, for months on end, that's basically modern day slavery in my book.

It's modern day capitalism and the norm in the oppressive and exploitative principality of Dubai which own P & O.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

That might work for SERCO or CAPITA, but would probably get thrown out in court. However, I doubt that P & O are very dependent on government contracts.

They are dependent on licences to operate to and from the U.K., with their poorly paid, under-motivated and exhausted crews, a recipe for disaster on the scale of the Herald of Free Enterprise.

 

[cupid_stunt]

They are dependent on licences to operate to and from the U.K., with their poorly paid, under-motivated and exhausted crews, a recipe for disaster on the scale of the Herald of Free Enterprise.

I was on that fucker 24 hours before it went down, little known fact, although it had Townsend Thoresen branding, it was actually operated by P&O at the time

On 6 March 1987, the Townsend Thoresen branded roll on/roll off car ferry Herald of Free Enterprise capsized just outside Zeebrugge's harbour about 25 minutes after departure. A subsequent inquiry determined that the ship's bow doors had been left open allowing water to get onto the car deck. 193 people died as a result of the sinking.

At the time of the sinking, the operating company, P&O European Ferries (Dover) Ltd were rebranding the Townsend Thoresen ferries. This was expedited rapidly due to the negative publicity that the disaster had caused to the Townsend Thoresen brand.

Wiki link.

 

[brogdale]

This episode really is a herald of free enterprise.

 

[existentialist]

This episode really is a herald of free enterprise.

Liked for the punnage, not the implications

 

[sleaterkinney]

That might work for SERCO or CAPITA, but would probably get thrown out in court. However, I doubt that P & O are very dependent on government contracts.

50 mil here, 242 mil in Africa.

P&O Ferries owner to benefit from at least £50m of UK freeport scheme

Dubai-based DP World runs shipping terminals at Southampton and London Gateway

www.theguardian.com

 

[StoneRoad]

So, anyone make a guess at [or know / can find out] how much P&O Ferries / DP World or their UK based directors donate to the tory party. ?

 

[tim]

They are dependent on licences to operate to and from the U.K., with their poorly paid, under-motivated and exhausted crews, a recipe fkor disaster on the scale of the Herald of Free Enterprise.

Don't most boats that operate out UK sail under flags of convenience and aren't most of their crews working under similar or worse conditions to those if the P & O crews? I can't see the Tories wanting to change that.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Don't most boats that operate out UK sail under flags of convenience and aren't most of their crews working under similar or worse conditions to those if the P & O crews? I can't see the Tories wanting to change that.

Yes, ships that tramp around the world's oceans are problematic for this, those that only go between the UK and the UK, or the UK and EU, those ones can be made to comply with either UK or EU regulations in an instant, if the governors of either decreed it.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

This is welcome, but P&O also need stripping of its contracts in Southampton and London:

P&O Ferries owner DP World loses status as partner in Solent freeport

Exclusive: ministers confirm Emirati logistics giant no longer has central role after anger at sacking of 800 workers

www.theguardian.com

On the nationalisation debate above given that P&O is, by its own account, only able to operate their services by paying it’s workers £1.80 an hour not only is nationalisation necessary to protect a key service in terms of goods and the supply chain but also an opportunity for P&O/DP world to get out of a business where it’s not making money and where it’s reputation is utterly shredded. Given that it currently still employs 2,000 other workers a failure to nationalise the work and the routes now risks further job losses and supply chain disruption in the next few months.

 

[hitmouse]

Anyway, as tempting as the "giving in and letting P&O and other employers do whatever they like" argument may be, for those who don't think it's all over, next two demo dates are Dover on the 19th and London on the 21st:

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

slightly related traffic jam on the roads to dover.

 

[Dystopiary]

That P & O ferry stuck at Dover has failed its second safety check.

A spokesperson for the MCA said the reinspection of the Pride of Kent on Wednesday uncovered "a number of additional deficiencies including in safety systems and crew documentation".
"We have advised P&O to invite us back once they have addressed the issues. We do not know yet when this will be," the MCA said.

I love this bit - "The Pride of Kent, which failed the check again on Wednesday, will remain docked with the Spirit of Britain."

P&O ferry detained at Dover fails second safety check

 

[pseudonarcissus]

The items that a Port State Control inspector can detain a vessel on are serious things, this isn’t just technicalities. They would have a reinspection for the small stuff.

 

[TopCat]

P&O Ferries suspends passenger services across Channel over Easter

Suspension of Dover-Calais sailings adds to wider travel disruption across UK on bank holiday weekend

www.theguardian.com

 

[Sue]

P&O Ferries suspends passenger services across Channel over Easter

Suspension of Dover-Calais sailings adds to wider travel disruption across UK on bank holiday weekend

www.theguardian.com

Well this sacking 800 workers thing is going well for P&O. (You'd like to think they'd learn something from all this but I suspect if they learn anything, it won't be 'don't treat your employees like shit'.)

 

[TopCat]

Well this sacking 800 workers thing is going well for P&O. (You'd like to think they'd learn something from all this but I suspect if they learn anything, it won't be 'don't treat your employees like shit'.)

Their losses must be huge and rising. This will pressure the management who did the sackings. A good message to go out to the wider industry.

 

[MickiQ]

Well this sacking 800 workers thing is going well for P&O. (You'd like to think they'd learn something from all this but I suspect if they learn anything, it won't be 'don't treat your employees like shit'.)

Well this must certainly be burning a hole in their projected savings.

 

[Sue]

Well this must certainly be burning a hole in their projected savings.

Yep. I suspect the lesson they'll learn from it though is that they need to be more targeted in their sackings in future or something.

 

[skyscraper101]

This is great schadenfreude - hopefully these ships will remain docked for some time.

 

[StoneRoad]

More like, make a larger donation to the vermin ...
I don't think you can "buy off" the MCA !
[or, be more discrete and do the sackings in stages ...]

I'm not going to be using P&O Ferries again, at least not under their current ownership / management.

 

[TopCat]

Their cash flow must be a killer at the moment.

 

[two sheds]

Not helped by £325,000 a year for Hebblethwaite plus performance bonus I wonder whether he'll get that this year

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Also, can't remember who said it, but Thatcher's greatest success was none other than Tony Blair.

Said by Thatcher Herself

Thatcherism’s greatest achievement

In 2002, twelve years after Margaret Thatcher left office, she was asked at a dinner what was her greatest achievement. Thatcher replied: “Tony Blair and New Labour. We forced our opponents t…

economicsociology.org

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Not helped by £325,000 a year for Hebblethwaite plus performance bonus I wonder whether he'll get that this year

tbf that was quite a performance he put on the HoC, "I chose to break the law."

 

[brogdale]

Much as I'm on board with the schadenfreude, I have to drive down to East Kent regularly to sort out the aged 'rents and it's fucking chaos down there. The fact that the neoliberal state is ideologically opposed to nationalising this vital link that keeps us fed is actually pretty fucking worrying.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

still going well...

Record 31 failings found on P&O Ferries boat at safety inspection

Maritime agency found issues with crew’s training, fire safety and lifeboat drills on European Causeway

www.theguardian.com

 

[MickiQ]

The ideal outcome at this point woud be for P&O Ferries to go belly up and someone like Stena to buy the ships. The redundant crew (or a significant proportion at least) could then apply for their jobs back and get to keep their redundancy money.

 

[teuchter]

still going well...

Record 31 failings found on P&O Ferries boat at safety inspection

Maritime agency found issues with crew’s training, fire safety and lifeboat drills on European Causeway

www.theguardian.com

That's from a few weeks ago - it's back in service now, as the article says. As is the Hull-Rotterdam one.