The chief executive of P&O Ferries is to be quizzed by British MPs on Thursday over the controversial sacking of nearly 800 workers without notice amid continued protests over the dismissals.
Peter Hebblethwaite will appear before a joint hearing of the transport and business committees and is expected to face questions over the legality of the dismissals.
The British prime minister said it appears to him that P&O Ferries has “broken the law”, telling the Commons on Wednesday that the UK government will be “taking action”, and encouraged workers to do the same.
Mr Hebblethwaite issued an apology for the impact of the decision to sack the staff without notice, saying he understood the “anger and shock” about the loss of jobs.
Protests were held in Dover and Liverpool on Wednesday against the sackings, and more demonstrations will be held in the coming days.
Other witnesses being questioned on Thursday will include Alan Bogg, professor of labour law at the University of Bristol; Mark Dickinson, general secretary of Nautilus International; Mick Lynch, leader of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union; Dean Beale, chief executive of the Insolvency Service; Brian Johnson, chief executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency; Katy Ware, director of UK Maritime Services; transport minister Robert Courts; and business minister Paul Scully.
Jesper Kristensen, of P&O owner DP World, will also be questioned.
Mr Hebblethwaite said: “I want to say sorry to the people affected and their families for the impact it’s had on them, and also to the 2,200 people who still work for P&O and will have been asked a lot of difficult questions about this.
“Over the last week, I’ve been speaking face-to-face to seafarers and their partners. They’ve lost their jobs and there is anger and shock and I completely understand.
“We needed fundamental change to make us viable. This was an incredibly difficult decision that we wrestled with but once we knew it was the only way to save the business, we had to act.
“All other routes led to the closure of P&O Ferries. I wish there was another way, and I’m sorry.”
Huw Merriman and Darren Jones, who chair the committees, said: “This session will aim to understand the detail of the options available to the 800 workers who were roundly dismissed by P&O Ferries last week.
“The cruel nature of their dismissal put employment practices and UK plc under the microscope.
“From P&O Ferries, our members want to know why this action has been taken and how it can be justified.
“From the government and its agencies, we want confirmation that our laws are not being broken and safety is not being compromised on our ships.
“This shocking story has raised questions about UK employment law, safety practices, the support of this business through a pandemic and the redress available. We intend to hear from the key players about what they are going to do that means these workers are not left high and dry.”
Mr Lynch said: “While the PM said they are taking P&O to court, in the same breath he refused Keir Starmer’s demand of economic sanctions against DP World, to enforce the reinstatement of P&O workers.
“It is DP World that have given the instructions to make the mass sackings and break the law, so it is appalling that the government is scared to take action against them.
“Of course P&O need to be taken to court but that by itself won’t get our members’ jobs back. We need emergency action and legislation if necessary to enforce the reinstatement of our members.”
Mr Lynch described the P&O statement as a “half-hearted apology” and again urged the company to reverse the sackings and reinstate the workers.
Nautilus said in a statement: “Our members deserve decent employment with decent employers and our work, which has been ongoing for over 165 years, will continue to this end.
“However, P&O Ferries have sunk themselves legally and reputationally. They broke the law, and no end of legal tautology will change that.
“Nautilus International now expects the Government to take all possible action against these law breakers, who think they can buy silence and bully seafarers into unemployment or accepting lower wages and detrimental and unsafe terms and conditions of employment.”
