A private security firm is understood to have been employed to remove staff members from a P&O Ferries vessel docked in Larne Harbour.
The move comes as P&O Ferries announced that the continued downturn in its business due to the pandemic, will oblige it to make redundant up to 1,100 employees, the same number as it furloughed under the country’s job retention scheme back in March. 800 of these will be terminated with immediate effect.
The union RMT has demanded protection of UK seafarer jobs amid speculation that hundreds of UK seafarers are to be sacked and replaced with foreign labour.
Responding to reports about the future of P&O RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said:
“We are deeply disturbed by growing speculation that the company are today planning to sack hundreds of UK seafarers and replace them with foreign labour.
"We have instructed our members to remain onboard and are demanding our members across P&O’s UK operations are protected and that the Secretary of State intervenes to save UK seafarers from the dole queue.”
P&O Ferries ceo Janette Bell says the company will initially seek voluntary redundancies, before moving to a selection process during a 45-day Consultation period that will run until June 24.
The latest update for travellers expecting to travel from on the Larne to Cairnryan route states:
“P&O Ferries services are unable to run for the next few days. We are advising travellers of alternative arrangements. We will update this feed every 30 minutes with the operational situation.
“Where possible we are organising travel via an alternative operator. Space is very limited so we would suggest if your journey is not essential, please do not travel today. We apologise for any inconvenience.”
East Antrim TUV Assembly candidate Norman Boyd commented saying:
“Today’s announcement by P & O to sack its U.K. workforce and replace it with cheap foreign labour is an absolutely scandalous betrayal of British workers.
“Everything about this this shameful. Neither staff nor customers had any notice of what was taking place with people hearing that something was afoot by way of the media rather than any announcement by the company.
“There is an urgent need for the government, at national level, to put in place legislation which prevents staff being treated in such a shabby fashion”.
Mid and East Antrim deputy Mayor Matthew Armstrong who works in the transport industry added:
“For staff to be thrown off the boats at Larne and ordered to clear their lockers by security staff wearing balaclavas and carrying tasers and handcuffs illustrates in particularly graphic fashion how shamefully this has been done. Government - including council - now needs to step up to the plate and seek to do what we can to deliver who have been treated so shamefully by their employer.”