Dismissed P&O workers were joined by union representatives, politicians and members of the public at the port of Larne in Northern Ireland to protest the ferry company’s decision to sack 800 seafarers.
Unions and politicians condemned the mass dismissal, blamed by the company on losses of £100 million following the slump in travel because of the pandemic. The Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull East called on the Government to force P&O to “come up with a different plan”. Earlier, the Rail, Maritime and Transport union said it was seeking legal advice to challenge the sackings.
The union called for mass trade union and wider public support for demonstrations in Dover, Liverpool and Hull on Friday. Conservative MP Huw Merriman, chairman of the Transport Select Committee, said P&O had shown “contempt” for its staff.