Brits stop ship P&O Ferries for ‘unsafe’ funeral with new crew | Financial

The European Causeway, as the ship is called, will remain in the harbor of the coastal town of Larne until the problems are resolved. British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is having all P&O Ferries vessels inspected to ensure the safety of the ferry service.

P&O Ferries, which also sails between Rotterdam and Hull, caused a lot of outrage earlier this month with an unexpected mass layoff. The company suddenly stopped all ferries at the dock and informed staff that 800 people would be made redundant with immediate effect. They were replaced by cheaper, externally hired labour. That was necessary, according to the company, which lost 100 million pounds last year to keep the jobs of 2,200 others.

Decontamination

P&O Ferries CEO Peter Hebblethwaite later admitted that he had violated rules during the reorganization by not informing unions about the dismissal. But talks with the unions would have been nothing more than a sham, he said.

Meanwhile, there also seems to be discontent among the new crew members of the ferries. The international maritime trade union Nautilus recently reported that many of these hired workers have already resigned.

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