Stephen Morgan MP is set to vote with Labour today, demanding that P&O Ferries reinstates its workforce and for fire and rehire to be outlawed.
The mass sackings without notice last week caused outrage nationwide, amid reports suggested security firms with balaclavas and handcuffs were used to take sacked British workers off the vessels.
The Conservative Government was made aware of the sackings before it was announced, and of the plan to use fire and rehire.
Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh MP, has called this moment “a line in the sand” and later today Labour will stage a vote demanding the Tories outlaw fire and rehire, strengthen workers’ rights and take tough action to force the company to think again.
Labour called on the government to:
- Outlaw fire and rehire and bring forward an urgent bill to strengthen workers rights.
- Suspend the contracts of DP World – the owner of P&O Ferries – until this matter is resolved
- Remove DP World from the UK Government’s Transport Advisory Group where they were appointed by the now Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, “to provide knowledge, experience and strategic expertise” on trade negotiations.
The Member of Parliament for Portsmouth South, Stephen Morgan, said:
“I will fight every step of the way for the jobs and livelihoods of these loyal workers.
“This scandalous action must be a line in the sand. If P&O Ferries can get away with this, it will give the green light to other exploitative employers.
“That’s why I’m voting to ban fire and rehire for good and am calling on Government to suspend licenses and contracts of P&O Ferries and DP World and reinstate these grossly mistreated workers.
“I will continue to work alongside trade unions to campaign for the outlawing of draconian fire and rehire practices.”
