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It’s the hobbling of trade union power that’s permitted P&O’s actions 
After 42 years of anti-union legislation, we urgently need a restoration of the freedom of unions to defend their members, argues LORD JOHN HENDY QC
An open water swimmer swimming alongside the P&O Spirit of France ferry as it leaves the Port of Dover in Kent, in August 2020

THE piece in the Star on Saturday by my colleague Professor Keith Ewing outlined some of the shortcomings of the law and its failures to protect the 800 P&O staff dismissed in favour of cheaper crew. 

It appears that an offer said to exceed the value of statutory claims has been made to the workforce with a limited time to accept.

If the deals are accepted, we may never know what arguments P&O might have raised to defend claims of discrimination on grounds of nationality if it is true that P&O has selected for dismissal only those seafarers who are resident in the UK on UK contracts with the company, the overwhelming majority of whom are likely to be UK nationals. 

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