Unions Assemble To Condemn P&O Ferries’ Treatment Of Their Employees
Union leaders from around the world have actually come down on the London workplaces of the Dubai- based proprietor of P&O Ferries, DPWorld More than 50 leaders from transportation unions set up to condemn the business’s therapy of the P&O Ferries’ employees and also to prompt DP World to begin measuring up to its very own worths.
“News of the illegal mass sacking of P&O Ferries’ seafarers has spread to TVs and phone screens the world over. The disgraceful and callous actions of P&O leadership, signed off by DP World, falls foul of responsible business practices and principles, and DP World’s own standards,” claimed ITF President and also ITF Dockers’ Section chair Paddy Crumlin.
“When DP World signed up to the United Nations Global Compact in 2019, the company pledged itself to uphold the UNGC’s 10 principles, including those on labour, in all of the sectors and markets that it operates. By allowing its P&O Ferries’ management to sack a unionised workforce en-masse with no consultation, DP World has clearly broken its pledge to uphold ‘freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining’ of 800 of its employees.”
“This is nothing short of a global governance failure by DP World’s leadership. P&O Ferries’ conduct raised serious questions of DP World’s promise to implement the UNGC’s principles to ‘create a better future for everyone’. There are 800 seafarers right now asking where their better future is.”
Crumlin claimed P&O Ferries’ “vehement anti-union position” was not lasting for proprietor DP World, fairly or monetarily.
“It’s now time for DP World executives from Dubai to step in and fix this mess. It’s time for P&O Ferries CEO to go. It’s time for them to speak to us,” claimedCrumlin “We represent hundreds of dockworkers’ unions. We have a presence in most of DP World’s ports. We want the company to talk to us about fixing this fiasco, and to be frank – to do what is in their own best interests.”
P&O Ferries’ has actually apparently acquired at the very least ₤ 80 million in expenses given that its prohibited sacking of the unionised seafarers.
ETF General President Frank Moreels, that likewise talked at the rally, claimed “We support Nautilus International and the RMT in their call for the UK government to introduce a ‘fair ferries agreement’ with decent pay and safety standards aboard ferries that operate between the UK and mainland Europe.”
“The case of P&O Ferries shows that operators must be required to work in a meaningful way with social partners, including unions. This will help to ensure that seafarers cannot be treated in such a shameful way again, and that safety standards are maintained aboard our ferries for the safety of crew and passengers alike,” claimed Moreels.
ITF Seafarers’ Section chair David Heindel, the Treasurer-Secretary of the US-based Seafarers International Union, informed the group: “DP World has really let the seafaring industry down. We are looking from across the Atlantic, and asking ourselves ‘Why would they shoot themselves in the foot like this?’. Multiple vessels arrested, with insurance costs going through the roof, no doubt.”
“This is the biggest maritime failure we’ve seen in a long time. My advice to DP World would be: cut your losses. Talk to the unions. Find a solution,” claimed Heindel.
The leaders claimed DP World should devote to collaborating with the federation and also its associates throughout all DP World- possessed subsidiaries to guarantee ‘that no worker in their global operations is ever treated with such disrespect again’.
Reference: itfseafarers.org
