THE Shadow Environment Secretary has branded the P&O Ferries crisis as a “national scandal”.
Jim McMahon said the Government also now needed to “choose which side it was on” as anger grew about the sacking of 800 seafarers from the company.
Speaking to GB News, Labour’s Mr McMahon, said: “It’s a national disgrace, and an absolute scandal that 800 people were sacked on video call. But P&O Ferries have got form in this area.
“Don’t forget, this is a company who took millions in furlough only to make 1100 people redundant. And this is the same company who made billions in profits while axing staff.”
“These are 800 people who have bills to pay families to support whole communities dependent on these jobs. It’s a scandal that this has been allowed to happen on this Government’s watch. They need to show leadership and action and they need to get legal advice to see if the way P&O has acted is even lawful. We are also urging the Government to review the furlough support given to claw it back.”
In an interview on GB News Breakfast, Mr McMahon called for a probe into claims P&O Ferries may have exploited the fact many of the affected workers aren’t protected by UK employment law.
“The Government needs to call a meeting of the unions representing workers and the company and get to the bottom of this,” he added.
“We need to toughen up our employment laws to ensure people are better protected and that this can’t happen again. It’s all very well Ministers standing at the dispatch box being angry but the Government now needs to choose which side they are on. Are they on the side of P&O who are exploiting their workers? Or are they on the side of the workers who need support?”
