• Union body slams company boss for admitting he “couldn’t live” on the paltry wages he pays to seafarers
• P&O Ferries scandal is “further proof” of why New Deal for Working People is urgently needed, says union body

Responding to evidence today (Tuesday) from P&O Ferries CEO Peter Hebblethwaite to the Business and Trade Select Committee, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said:

“The P&O Ferries’ scandal was a nadir for modern-day industrial relations.

“Yet despite illegally sacking 800 staff, bosses at P&O Ferries have shown zero remorse for their appalling behaviour.

“And today we found out that P&O Ferries is knowingly paying seafarers less than £5 an hour.

“CEO Pete Hebblethwaite admitted that he couldn’t live on this poverty rate of pay – but he expects his workers to survive on it.

“It beggars belief that P&O Ferries has faced no sanctions for its misdeeds and that its parent company DP World has continued to be awarded government contracts.

“The Conservatives have serious questions to answer for rewarding DP World’s mistreatment of their workforce.”

On the need for stronger employment laws and workers’ rights, Paul Nowak added

“This sorry saga is further proof of why we need a New Deal for Working People and a mandatory seafarers’ charter to protect seafarers.

“For too long parts of our labour market have resembled the wild west – with many seafarers particularly exposed to hyper-exploitation and a lack of enforceable rights.

“It’s time to drag our outdated employment laws into the 21st century. Without this, another P&O Ferries scandal is on the cards.”