P&O Ferries

[reohn2]

"A number of P&O Ferries agency staff have been fired for drinking on the job.

"Seven members of the new group of workers were relieved of their duties after breaching guidelines on alcohol consumption."

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/dover/news ... ob-265792/

Jonathan

PS: Would they have kept their jobs if they had apologised after being caught...

Another demonstration of "You get what you pay for"

Ian

I'm wondering how they afforded to get drunk on £1-odd* per hour, as reported?

*I haven't looked it up, but it was certainly remarkably low

Perhaps they were fired for not so much drinking on the job but drinking company booze on the job!

[SimonCelsa]

Just for context. I spent many years at sea on foreign flag vessels. Serving predominantly on tankers in senior ranks, spending 3 years as Master, but the majority of my career as Chief Officer (mate). I believe the prescribed limits for alcohol consumption in UK waters for a serving merchant seafarer are more stringent than that for a UK motorist.

I am not defending these recently dismissed drunken jolly jacks, just pointing out that if you go ashore, have a glass of wine say, then go back aboard and the company instigate some random testing, you could be for the high jump. I very much doubt they were actually steaming drunk, but that makes better headlines.

I first went to sea in 1983 so not really that long ago. The company I joined had about 100 ships, all British flagged and crewed. By 1987 they had all gone, and I transferred to foreign flag vessels with multinational crewing. The irony is that a lot of these so called cheaper/less experienced crew are now earning some nice hefty salaries, as they are now the only experienced seafarers around! It all goes full circle.

[Jdsk]

I believe the prescribed limits for alcohol consumption in UK waters for a serving merchant seafarer are more stringent than that for a UK motorist.

The current limits:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... GN_590.pdf

Jonathan

[Debs]

[SimonCelsa]

Now that's what I call a real punishment!!

[Jdsk]

Spirit of Britain cleared by the MCA:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61197464

Jonathan

[Bonefishblues]

I wonder if this will turn out to have been a Ratners moment?

[reohn2]

Hasn't there been another pay dispute with the new staff?
Found it:- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61209894

[Psamathe]

Hasn't there been another pay dispute with the new staff?
Found it:- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61209894

P&O management just reminding us all the type of company they are these days.

Ian

[Jdsk]

"Operation Brock to remain on M20 for an indefinite period as P&O Ferries disruption continues":
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/ashford/ne ... ck-266943/

"The Kent Resilience Forum (KRF) has today said the traffic management system will have to continue on the motorway, despite one P&O Ferries ship returning to service following the firm's controversial workforce restructuring."

"A second P&O vessel has been cleared to sail, but the company's remaining two Dover-based ferries are still not approved for operation, with no further safety inspections of either vessel currently planned by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency."

Jonathan

[Psamathe]

The way this has all played through is yet anothe rindication of the failures of our current political classes. When it first started Johnson and his cronies were "spitting blood", how the Gov. was going to take them to court, take severe action, etc.. Yet reality is they've forgotten about it at the first opportunity, moved on having done nothing.

Those workers who had lost their jobs, maybe given some hope by Johnson et. al. only to be let down (again).

Ian

[Jdsk]

Exactly.

In the words of the great Bard Clint 'Do you feel Lucky?' (not my view, but the realpolitik of matters)

A protective award* of 3 months salary is there for all, without question - so what I would do is take the £ and then slap in, via my TU an extra claim for that. I expect P&O knows that very well and has put it in the budget.

*For failure to consult - cannot be signed away by a Settlement Agreement unless facilitated by ACAS

"The firm said by early Thursday afternoon all but one crew member, who could not be identified, had joined their redundancy process. The offer included a gagging clause prohibiting sacked crew from discussing P&O or taking further legal action. The promised payouts are understood to be higher than staff could have won had they sued at industrial tribunal."

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... on-sacking

"A former P&O Ferries chef is reportedly suing the company for unfair dismissal, racial discrimination and harassment.

John Lansdown has filed a tribunal claim against the company and its chief executive, and is seeking financial compensation and exemplary damages of up to £76m, according to the BBC."

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... rimination

NB date.

"The only P&O Ferries seafarer to sue the firm after its sudden sacking of 800 staff has won an even higher financial settlement than the pay-off he was offered... ":
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... e-sum.html

Jonathan

[Bonefishblues]

"The firm said by early Thursday afternoon all but one crew member, who could not be identified, had joined their redundancy process. The offer included a gagging clause prohibiting sacked crew from discussing P&O or taking further legal action. The promised payouts are understood to be higher than staff could have won had they sued at industrial tribunal."

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... on-sacking

"A former P&O Ferries chef is reportedly suing the company for unfair dismissal, racial discrimination and harassment.

John Lansdown has filed a tribunal claim against the company and its chief executive, and is seeking financial compensation and exemplary damages of up to £76m, according to the BBC."

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... rimination

NB date.

"The only P&O Ferries seafarer to sue the firm after its sudden sacking of 800 staff has won an even higher financial settlement than the pay-off he was offered... ":
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... e-sum.html

Jonathan

Hard to say what that says, iyswim - likely a sum to make it go away was agreed between the parties as the Hearing approached.

[PH]

Hard to say what that says, iyswim - likely a sum to make it go away was agreed between the parties as the Hearing approached.

I thought the same when I saw it from another source a couple of days ago. Whatever the undisclosed figure it wouldn't have put a dent in DP's finances, they'd already said they hadn't acted in accordance with the law, it's hard to see what was gained, what was there to prove?

EDIT - I just looked back to see what I'd said at the time

It's all very well advising these P&O ex-employees they can go to court, but if the result is likely to be a few percent more some years down the line, compared to cash in the bank now it's hard to make that case on anything other than principal. If the employees have been advised that the offer was likely to be as good as they'll get, there seems little incentive to challenge it. I think we can be pretty sure P&O's legal team will have considered this.

[reohn2]

Hard to say what that says, iyswim - likely a sum to make it go away was agreed between the parties as the Hearing approached.

I thought the same when I saw it from another source a couple of days ago. Whatever the undisclosed figure it wouldn't have put a dent in DP's finances, they'd already said they hadn't acted in accordance with the law, it's hard to see what was gained, what was there to prove?

The children's seamen's charity did gain