P&O

R MT members at P&O Ferries in Dover, Hull and Portsmouth are to be balloted for industrial action after the company failed to shift from its “slash-and-burn” plan to axe 1,200 jobs, cut pay and worsen terms and conditions. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that the union had made it quite clear when this massive attack on jobs and conditions was announced that it would not accept compulsory redundancies. Cuts The company has embarked upon a major cost cutting exercise that seeks to reduce the number of ships from 31 to 23 and close four of its thirteen routes without consulting the union. In summary P&O intend to withdraw from virtually all their existing Western Channel routes, leaving a monopoly position for Brittany Ferries, and also significantly cut back operations at Dover and Hull. Portsmouth Cuts include the withdrawal of Pride of Aquitaine and Pride of Provence and an end to all Normandy services. There are plans for the Price of Le Havre and Pride of Portsmouth with 350 seafarers to be transferred to the French state-subsidised company Brittany Ferries. The remaining UK seafarers currently employed by P&O at Portsmouth, with the exception of the crew from the Pride of Bilbao which will continue in service, are to be dismissed. Hull Under the plans staff are to be transferred to agency status and conditions are to be eroded, including deep pay cuts at P&O Hull. Hundreds of RMT members are faced with redundancy and many of those who will be left are threatened with possible cuts in pay and conditions, or adverse changes to working practices. The union has pledged to do everything in its power to resist these savage cut backs. UK seafarers at P&O North Sea Ferries are being asked to work additional hours and lose existing rights to medical severance and enhanced redundancy. P&O are insisting that seafarers sign new terms and conditions with reduced redundancy entitlement, this is be followed by a selection procedure and if the UK seafarers fail to gain a position in the new establishment they will be made redundant on new reduced terms. Of even greater concern to employees are 10 RMT news – P&O RMT balloting to fight ‘slash-and-burn’ attacks on jobs and conditions Stop the P&O slaughter ANGRY: RMT general secretary Bob Crow and shipping secretary Steve Todd speaking to P&O workers in Dover company plans to undertake third party ship management. The intention is for P&O to completely outsource operational activities. A new ship management could effectively do the dirty work for P&O by replacing UK seafarers with low cost foreign nationals. Dover The situation in Dover is even worse with nearly 800 dismissals planned. The cuts will mean a sizeable reduction in operations. On the Dover-Calais route, six ships will be operated compared with seven at present. There are also now major doubts over the future of the remaining P&O ships as it is widely assumed that P&O are seeking to exit the ferry sector as soon as possible. Increasingly P&O are looking towards their more lucrative interests in ports overseas. This complete disregard for the welfare of the crews comes after P&O have received substantial concessions from the taxpayer in the form of the tonnage tax. The tonnage tax has increased tonnage on the UK register but not improved training or employment opportunities for UK seafaring ratings. In fact, the number of UK ratings being trained and employed has actually fallen. In addition to the industrial campaign RMT is seeking to mobilise as much political support as possible in an effort to maximise pressure on P&O and the government. Action Early Day Motion 1715 (right) on the P&O job losses and the need for government intervention has now been tabled by Gwyn Prosser MP. Already the EDM has received 69 signatures and a briefing letter has been circulated to all Labour MPs seeking their signatures. The union held a special briefing meeting of constituency MPs likely to be affected by the cutbacks. In addition the union will be publicising any French government support given to their companies; Sea France, who run services on the Dover Calais route, and Brittany Ferries, who will now be in a dominant position on the Western Channel. In this regard efforts are being made to meet with the French unions so that they can assist. RMT Parliamentary Group convenor John McDonnell said that the government must now intervene by raising this matter with the company and the employer’s organisation the Chamber of Shipping. “A long term future for the UK ferry industry needs to be safeguarded especially in view of the support provided by the French Government to secure their interests in the cross channel trades,” he said. RMT national shipping secretary Steve Todd said that the scale of P&O’s job cuts shocked members around the ports, but that shock has given way to anger over the insensitive and intran- sigent way in which the company is trying to bludgeon the workforce into submission. “Rather than sit down with us and discuss a long-term plan that would safeguard jobs, the company seems hell-bent on sacking hundreds, tearing up the contracts of those who are left and even slashing payments to those prepared to leave the company voluntarily,” he said. The union has consulted members around the ports intensively, and has become clear that the company’s present stance and its refusal to consult with us in any meaningful way are unacceptable. “We have therefore served notice on P&O Ferries that we will be balloting our members, with a recommendation that they vote decisively for industrial action to defend their jobs, pay and conditions,” RMT general secretary Bob Crow said. CUTS: The P&O ferry Pride of Burgundy arrives at Dover Harbour. More than 600 jobs could be lost under plans by P&O Ferries to reduce services on its Dover-Calais route. RMT news – P&O Early Day Motion 1715 That this House is deeply concerned at the recent announcement by P&O that they intend to dismiss 1,200 UK seafarers; notes that many of those who will be left will be faced with cuts in pay and conditions; regrets that this will cause much hardship for many families especially within the communities of Dover, Portsmouth and Hull; regards this as a massive blow to the UK shipping industry; further notes that the num- ber of UK seafarers continues to decline despite the UK shipping industry benefiting from a very signif- icant tonnage tax concession worth £35m per year; further notes that the French Government provide support for Sea France and Brittany Ferries; and calls on the UK government to intervene with the appropriate parties to ensure that the ferry industry in the UK has a long-term future. 11