P&O ferries between Larne and Cairnryan ‘still on hold’ –

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Demonstrators Friday in Port Larne

Ferries between Larnes and Kairnian have been suspended since P&O laid off 800 employees last week.

The company confirmed the suspension Monday morning, saying that “the trip can no longer be organized through an alternative operator on this route.”

Their advice to users was to “find an alternative yourself”.

Union officials plan to inform the Stormont Commission of their plans to launch a legal challenge against the giant ferry.

Ulster unionist Mike Nisbet said unions would be given a chance to “wake up their anger” over the “double-edged” treatment of P&O workers.

Nesbit also said that Stormont does not have the legislative authority to compel P&O’s top management to appear before the committee before the meeting is dissolved.

The ferry operator, which was bought by logistics giant DP World in 2019, said the decision to cut jobs was “very difficult but necessary” because it was “not a profitable business” in the state.

Workers at Larney Harbor P&O station protested Friday afternoon and spoke out after their ordeal.

Daniel MacDonald has been at P&O Ferries for 17 years and served as Associate Director on the European track until Thursday.

The 45-year-old works two weeks, two weeks off, and usually starts his shift on the ship at 8am. However, he was soon informed by a colleague that the ship was not sailing that day.

“I was wondering if there was a problem with the engine and they told me they didn’t know but they were sending all the cars out. Normally, if there was a delay, the cars would stay,” Daniel told Belfast Live.

The captain told us senior management would be making an announcement and said he didn’t know what was going on. He was simply told that not all P&O ships should set sail until further notice.

“And then your brain starts to think: Did we all lose our jobs? Did they break up? Think of the worst case scenario, but what we didn’t expect in the future.”

Source: Belfastlive

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