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Original poster

P&O Ferries - major announcement today. All ships in port

511 replies

cakeorwine · 17/03/2022 10:40

Gosh. I wonder what's going on

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60779001

OP posts:
InTheCludgie · 17/03/2022 16:21

What an absolute dick move. Apparently saying they had no choice...they had the choice to at least enter into negotiations with employees before resorting to this but chose not to!
I'll be cancelling my trip with them in July and won't use them again.

jessy100 · 17/03/2022 16:22

Another brexit bonus! This wouldn't have happened if we were still in the EU. Just saw a Labour bloke from Hull ranting about workers rights. 68% of people from Hull voted for brexit. You reap what you sow.

RobotValkyrie · 17/03/2022 16:24

@Myee

Within a very short time, many passengers and freight services will use P+O ferry services again without any qualms at all.

Most people just want to get to their destination and rarely think of the employees on their modes of transport.

Many might but I won't. I don't give my money to shit disorganised companies who treat both their employees and customers with contempt.

P&O was always a bit shit compared to DFDS, but today's shit show tops it all. There are alternatives (other ferries, trains, flights), and I will use them at every opportunity.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Holidays
Thoosa · 17/03/2022 16:24

@jessy100

Another brexit bonus! This wouldn't have happened if we were still in the EU. Just saw a Labour bloke from Hull ranting about workers rights. 68% of people from Hull voted for brexit. You reap what you sow.
So he must be one of the 68%? Is that your assumption?

He could easily be part of the 32%. He’s allowed an opinion, anyway.

Implying that people from certain regions have to just shut up is distinctly dodgy.

jessy100 · 17/03/2022 16:27

Well if he was part of the 32% I feel fucking angry on his behalf. If he wasn't, then I couldn't care less!

MyrtlethePurpleTurtle · 17/03/2022 16:29

@DamnUserName21

Feel for those that were fired without notice.

Apparently, P&O ferries made a profit in 2020 according to accounts submitted to Companies House in Oct 2021. (Hope I'm reading it right!!)

find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00237626/filing-history

Who knows what's going?!

You just need to read the ‘going concern’ note in p 3 (Strategic Report) to see how borderline catastrophic the company’s position was at the time the accounts were signed off. I’m surprised it’s stumbled along this far
IcedPurple · 17/03/2022 16:29

@Myee

Within a very short time, many passengers and freight services will use P+O ferry services again without any qualms at all.

Most people just want to get to their destination and rarely think of the employees on their modes of transport.

That's the reality of it. Once the news cycle has moved on, so will people's short-lived anger. That's not true for everyone, but it is for very many.
Octomore · 17/03/2022 16:30

@QuebecBagnet

Fingers crossed none of the current staff apply for the agency jobs and that p&o cant find anyone else with the right skills and have to back down. I for one certainly won’t ever book with them again.
Neither will I. DH and I usually take a couple of ferry crossings a year from Dover - I won't touch P&O from now on.
SucculentChalice · 17/03/2022 16:32

How on earth are P&O recruiting their management team? They had a dreadful manager a few years back who nearly ruined the company, so they do seem a bit prone to bad choices like this.

But why have modern employment laws, if large companies can just ride over them roughshod in case they might possibly go bust? Its obviously going to court, going to be there for a couple of years going through the system and will eventually result in a settlement less than redundancy rights would have given individual employees.

Surely a system where your rights of employment are protected is one of the major benefits we get in return for our (ever increasing) taxes?

This is absolutely appalling, and I can't imagine it happening in any other western European country.

Its obviously been timed so as to coincide with the covid related restrictions on travel being removed so that lots of people are desperate to travel.

I personally think that Britain is returning to its "sick man of Europe" habits. Just waiting for restrictions on taking capital out of the country for some made up reason, such as helping the economy.

jessy100 · 17/03/2022 16:35

I would have no qualms about using p&o, and will use them if they are cheaper than the tunnell!

SucculentChalice · 17/03/2022 16:36

[quote Leftbutcameback]@daimbarsatemydogsbone no, they don’t have the EU protection any more. Why do you think they would still have that? We’ve left the EU so each bit of legislation needed to be carried over (by SIs) and this wasn’t, together with some others I’m aware of.[/quote]
Presumably the Employment Rights Act and Equality Act would apply to the agency workers if employed by a British based company, unless there is an exception in that legislation?

TebayOrNotTebay · 17/03/2022 16:36

@Pyewhacket

This is not how uk businesses should be run!!

P&O are not a UK business.

Yes it is. P&O Ferries' registered address is in Dover. Its shareholders are not British, though.
RobotValkyrie · 17/03/2022 16:38

That's not true for everyone, but it is for very many.

Not disagreeing. But passenger ferry crossing is a bit of a niche thing (compared to flying). Now that random booze trips to Calais are no longer a thing, and school trips abroad have been made harder by Brexit, ferry passengers will tend to be, for the vast majority, slightly older people with emotional links to the continent, and often well established habits.
They will be emotionally invested in P&O. And if such loyal customers are upset enough to be willing to change their travelling habits just once, then they will probably never return.

Obviously, the freight companies won't give a shit. They have form for abusing their own workers as well, so as long as the ferries run smoothly, they won't bat an eyelid.

Libertybear80 · 17/03/2022 16:40

The bbc business correspondents were gleeful! Quite distasteful coverage.

RobotValkyrie · 17/03/2022 16:41

@jessy100

I would have no qualms about using p&o, and will use them if they are cheaper than the tunnell!
Paid troll, or unpaid volunteer?

Have some Flowers

MysteriousMonkey · 17/03/2022 16:44

I won't use them again, which will be no great loss to them since I seldom did anyway but this is awful!

Tilltheend99 · 17/03/2022 16:44

@WhatisanODP

Sacking all the staff?! No! Surely not!! That would be insane
Turns out P&O has indeed decided to flush their brand down the drain
UKRAINEwearewithyou · 17/03/2022 16:48

You ask @cakeorwine what is going on?

  1. Covid over the last 2 years meant far less ferry trips than in a 'normal year'.
  1. Inflation means less money for people to spend on future ferry trips.
  1. The price of fuel has risen dramatically so the overheads are up.
  1. Interest rates have risen again, so borrowing costs are up.

What to do? Reduce staff numbers which is a major costs and cut make the crossings that make less money.

Fairyarmpits · 17/03/2022 16:49

@jessy100

I would have no qualms about using p&o, and will use them if they are cheaper than the tunnell!
Yeah, who gives a shit about anyone? While you're at it don't bother with health and safety and well maintained equipment. As long as you can pay rock bottom prices that's all that matters.

If you weren't alive when the Zeebrugge disaster happened then please Google it.

Tilltheend99 · 17/03/2022 16:51

Pyewhacket
This is not how uk businesses should be run!!

P&O are not a UK business.
“Yes it is. P&O Ferries' registered address is in Dover. Its shareholders are not British, though.”

I know someone connected to the cruise industry and it is something to do with where all the ships are registered which means they can get away with stuff like this (allegedly)

That’s why cruise ships tend to have low paid Filipino workers.

tara66 · 17/03/2022 16:54

SKY News Business said they have lost about a third of Billion GBP over the last 3 years or so.

Octomore · 17/03/2022 16:59

Now that random booze trips to Calais are no longer a thing, and school trips abroad have been made harder by Brexit, ferry passengers will tend to be, for the vast majority, slightly older people with emotional links to the continent, and often well established habits.

We definitely fit this bracket (although only middle aged rather than old). We drive to the continent for practical reasons, but our habits are long-term ones and we won't be going back to P&O. I'm disgusted by this treatment of workers.

The port towns will be devastated by this.

jessy100 · 17/03/2022 16:59

I know all about zeebrugge, and yes I was alive! fire and rehire has served this government well, and is largely supported by the great British public. Hypocrisy at it's finest!

Octomore · 17/03/2022 17:00

@tara66

SKY News Business said they have lost about a third of Billion GBP over the last 3 years or so.
How much did they make before that though?

Companies are very quick to impose the pain of losses on staff, but I doubt those staff saw much benefit when there were good years. It's a one-way street - all the benefits go to shareholders.