FOREIGN firms operating in Britain have been warned to treat their workers with dignity and respect by the TUC in the wake of the renewed row over calls for a boycott of P&O Ferries.
The boycott call was first made in 2022 when the firm sacked its 796-strong workforce in Britain and replaced them with overseas workers paid a fraction of their wages.
Maritime union RMT launched a boycott of P&O Ferries in response to the sackings in March 2022.
The call was also made by the Tory government’s transport secretary Grant Shapps, who urged travellers to seek alternatives to the ferry firm.
Last week, Labour Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Transport Secretary Louise Haigh introduced legislation which should prevent sackings like those implemented by P&O.
But Ms Haigh was accused of putting a £1 billion British investment plan by P&O’s parent company, Dubai-based DP World, in jeopardy when she referred to P&O as being among “rogue employers.”
She said Labour’s Employment Rights Bill would “close a loophole exploited by P&O Ferries.”
Later she said in an interview: “I’ve been boycotting P&O Ferries for two-and-a-half years and I encourage consumers to do the same.”
The comments prompted a media furore that included speculation that DP World would cancel its investment, and a grovelling Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Ms Haigh’s comments did not represent government policy.
DP World has now confirmed its whopping investment is going ahead following “clarification” talks with the government.
The government is hosting an investment summit this week, which received an advance boost today when Australian infrastructure company Macquarie announced that it plans to invest £20bn in Britain’s energy, water, transport and waste sectors, alongside the construction of new data centres.
But TUC general secretary Paul Nowak warned companies operating in Britain: “It is vital that all companies who do business here treat their workers with dignity and respect. That’s why the government’s new Employment Rights Bill is so important.
“It will establish a level playing field — to stop decent employers being undercut and ensure the gains of growth are fairly shared.”
