Government talks with P&O rivals amid fears of Easter ferry disruption
Ministers will meet Stena Line and DFDS to discuss capacity on key holiday routes
Last updated 28th Mar 2022
P&O Ferries competes in the North Channel routes with Stena Line, operating from separate ports just a few miles apart at Cairnryan.
The Department for Transport confirmed the meeting is taking place, but declined to comment on the topics for discussion.
But a spokesman said: "Ministers are working to understand how we can ensure the continuation of services in collaboration with other operators, including DFDS and Stena."
Glasgow protest today
A seafarers’ union is going to stage a protest in Glasgow outside the offices of a recruitment firm which was reportedly involved in hiring staff to replace sacked union members on P&O's ferry routes.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch says the demonstration will take place at the offices of Clyde Marine Recruitment, Govan Road from from 11am.
On Saturday, the union's Scottish leader Gordon Martin publicly accused the recruitment firm of hiring staff to replace the almost 800 sacked seafarers when he addressed the Alba Party spring conference.
Clyde Marine Recruitment has said it had no prior knowledge about the mass sacking on Thursday last week.
Mr Lynch said: "We are making it clear that there is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide for those who have been complicit in the P&O jobs massacre.
"We will keep the pressure on at every opportunity until we get justice for the P&O workers
"We look forward to another good turnout tomorrow after the weekends protests and greatly appreciate the remarkable solidarity from our trade union colleagues in this dispute.
"There will be more protests, more campaigning and more political pressure this week as we ratchet up the fight and harness the public anger at the jobs carve up on our ferries."
Ferry detained for safety checks
One of the two ships running on the route was detained for being "unfit to sail" on Friday.
MV European Causeway was held at the port of Larne due to "failures on crew familiarisation, vessel documentation and crew training", the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said.
READ MORE: P&O ferry safety fears
Pressure on P&O boss to quit
Prime Minister Boris Johnson backed Transport Secretary Grant Shapps' call for P&O boss Peter Hebblethwaite to quit over the mass sacking of the hundreds of workers without notice in March 17, with replacements being paid the minimum wage.
It decided against a full staff consultation over its plans to cut almost 800 jobs, a move which has attracted a huge backlash from unions and politicians.
A company source said the study calculated it would cost £309 million to keep the business going through a consultation period of at least three months, adding there was no guarantee of recovery.
P&O believes it has safeguarded the long-term future of the company and the livelihoods of 2,200 employees.
A P&O spokesperson said: "Over 90% of seafarers affected are in discussions to progress with the severance offers.
"We are sorry to the people affected and their families for the impact it's had on them. They've lost their jobs and there is anger and shock, which we completely understand.
"We needed fundamental change to make the business 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 loss of 3,000 jobs and the closure of P&O Ferries.”