The UK government has moved to ban ferries that do not pay their crew the national minimum wage following P&O Ferries’ decision to sack 800 employees and replace them with cheaper workers.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps announced on Wednesday (30 March) that the government would create new powers mandating ferries operating in and out of the UK to pay the national minimum wage.
Shapps has instructed UK ports to refuse entry to ferries not paying workers the minimum wage from 30 March.
P&O Ferries unexpectedly sacked 800 seafaring staff earlier this month in a move that chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite later admitted had broken UK employment law but claimed it had been necessary to save the loss-making operator from collapse.
Shapps has also called on the Insolvency Service to consider whether P&O Ferries boss Hebblethwaite should be disqualified as a director.
“P&O’s behaviour has appalled the nation and I want to make it absolutely clear we will not tolerate their actions or allow anyone else to follow suit – and this package of measures will act as a strong deterrent,” explained Shapps.
Some P&O Ferries routes around the UK have returned to service, although the Dover-Calais route remains closed.