SHIPPING

RMTnews :: july/august 2005 24 McFarland S O L I C I T O R S Have you got a problem you need legal help with? As well as offering expertise in a wide range of subjects we have specialists in employment law, personal injury, accidents at sea, diver’s claims and clinical negligence claims Home visits and telephone appointments can be arranged where appropriate 19 South St. Mary's Gate Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire DN31 1JE Tel. 01472 311711 www.bridgemcfarland.co.uk e-mail jrb@bmcf.co.uk SPRINGBOK RECEIVES DONATION FROM RMT P aula Mason and Brian Armstrong of RMT’s Southampton shipping branch present a £1,100 cheque to Trevor Goacher, general secretary of the Springbok retirement home in Surrey (below). Also present are trustee’s Ken Tirner, Harry Bygate, Frank Welsh and Terry Simco. The money comes from Maclachan’s solicitors, who donated £50 per compromise agreement they signed from the redundancies at Portsmouth announced by P&O. R MT held a protest in Portsmouth recently against P&O Ferries massive cutbacks to services on the Western Channel. From the end of September the company is withdrawing services that currently from Portsmouth to Le-Havre, Cherbourg and Caen. The scale of the cutbacks has surprised industry analysts and leaves Brittany Ferries in a potential monopoly position on the Western Channel routes, with no UK operator sailing to Le-Havre, Cherbourg and Caen. The withdrawal of services on the Western Channel follows the P&O exit from other shipping sectors in which they had previously played a major role. The company cruise ship operations, which is the most profitable sector for shipping, is now owned by the US company Carnival, whilst P&O have also sold off their remaining interests in the deep sea sector. P&O DIRECTORS REWARDED The scale of the cutbacks has not stopped P&O Directors accumulating substantial pay awards. Not only have they realised huge six-figure salaries they have received significant salary increases. This comes despite the significant hardship afflicting many families as a result of the forced dismissals of P&O Ferries employees. Lord Sterling recently retired as chairman of the P&O Group and received a pension worth a staggering £11.2 million. P&O FERRIES ABANDON PORTSMOUTH SHIPPING Bridge