It was reported today that the P&O crew, which was fired after a layover in Larna, was confronted by balcony-clad security guards.
The workers were among 800 laid off by the ferry company, a move that sparked outrage in Britain and Ireland.
It is understood that between 50 and 60 employees working on Larne-Kernian Road who are not agency agents lose their jobs.
Employees and trade unions are planning a demonstration near the port tomorrow from 12:00 to 15:00.
A man on the ferry said the crew had been told their jobs would be reduced if they did not leave the ship. He added that he discovered on social media that they are announcing their resignation. The crews of other P&O ships have been told via Zoom that they are losing their jobs.
The company replaces employees in all of its operations with agency employees. At Larney, it is estimated that navigation will not be possible for about a week as a replacement crew is being trained. The move could mean that goods, including those destined for local stores, could be delayed or diverted via Belfast to the Stena.
Today’s photos, Larney, show security personnel being loaded onto the bus. It is understood that private security was used in many places in the UK and Ireland when staff were told they had been laid off.
800 employees are known to have received an “immediate notice of dismissal”.
Across the UK, RMT spokesperson Geoff Martin said they were “digging long distances. We are determined to fight back”.
Mickey Smith of the Nautilus union contacted the company after it emerged that its CEO had spoken to a local politician but not with the unions.
The company said in a statement issued Thursday afternoon, that it “today announced a program of work to become a more competitive and efficient operator by providing better services to our customers in the tourism and shipping sectors.”
They added, “As long as we make these changes, there will be significant delays to P&O Ferries services in the coming days, but we are working to minimize the impact on your flight.”
They wrote on Twitter that people traveling to Larne on Cairnrian Road: “Whenever possible, we arrange the flight through a surrogate operator. Space is very limited, so I advise you not to travel today if your travel is not essential. I apologize for the inconvenience.”
Sam Wilson, MP for DUP East Antrim, said he spoke to the P&O CEO and expressed his “concern about how employees will be treated if they are fired.”
He added: “The company has assured me that the employees will receive compensation for failure to terminate the service.
“The way people are taken off ships is completely unacceptable and it is not the way an employer should treat their employees.
(Photo: Paul Faith/AFP via Getty Images)
“Although it only operates between UK ports, it will now be paying third world salaries to its crew. This is a serious concern for the company’s morale.”
Gordon Lyon, MLA of East Antrim, added: “This decision will have an impact on the overall economy of Northern Ireland. The company tells us that it will take another week before the ships can operate from Port Larne. Although customers are brought into the Port of Belfast in the short term, they will not be able to scale operations sufficiently to meet demand.
More than half of our shipments go to Port Larne. This announcement will also cause supply problems for Northern Ireland companies and supermarkets as well as companies based here that sell to the UK.
The CEO of P&O assured us that there will be no jobs at Port Larney and that the company will invest in the future to increase the port’s attractiveness.
Stuart Dixon, MLA of the East Antrim Alliance, accused P&O of “strict employee firing measures” and added that “there appears to have been no consultation with employees or unions on the move.”
He added, “As P&O owns Larne Harbor, urgent questions must now be asked about the potentially significant domestic impact. I urge the Department of Economy to engage immediately with P&O regarding the port’s future and its potential consequences.”
Jon Stewart MLA of Ulster said: “As Larney Port is owned by P&O through its Dubai-based parent company, and the only ferry service currently operating from Larney is P&O Ferries, we find ourselves in a precarious and questionable position.
“There are disturbing rumors that all staff on board will be fired and replaced with agency staff, and P&O must make a clear public statement immediately. Staff must be informed of what is happening and whether P&O has long- or short-term obligations to Larne.
P&O Ferries, which carries passengers and freight, has nearly 4,000 employees.
It runs on four routes: from Dover to Calais; hull in Rotterdam; Liverpool to Dublin; E Cairnrian, Scotland, Larne, Northern Ireland.
Navigation between Belgium and Halle and Zeebrugge ceased in January 2021.
Logistics giant DP World bought the company for $2,322 million in 2019.
DP World has come under fire for paying 27,270 million dividends to shareholders at the end of April 2020, while P&O Ferries offered to cut about 1,100 jobs as travel demand plummeted due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The ferry operator requested 150 million for government assistance, but there was no offer.
Source: Belfastlive
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