Roy Beggs MLA has called on DP World Limited to reinstate P&O staff so that the company can recover from the PR disaster as a result of P&O’s heavy-handed sacking of all ferry staff.

Roy Beggs said:

“DP World Limited are the ultimate owners of P&O Ferries and they are spending tens of millions of pounds in sponsorship of golf’s European tour which will be known as the DP World Tour.  However, the company’s reputation is in tatters as a result of P&O Ferries treatment of their staff who they sacked without notice via video call.  The European Golf Tour are in danger of being tarnished by their linkage. 

“I would call on DP World Limited to sack their Senior Executives and reinstate ferry staff as a first step to recovering the viability of the Company. 

“Larne to Cairnryan have been cancelled and the vital trade route stopped and there are indications it will be at least a week before ferries resume.   HMG carried out a Union Connectivity Review and invested almost £1 million in investigating a bridge to Scotland.  HMG should be considering the vesting of Larne and Cairnryan Harbours so that disruption to trade like this can never happen again.

“It appears that Maritime law might be enabling the abusive practices that we are hearing about, if that is the case legislation should be changed so that domestic ferries linking Northern Ireland to GB should be required to follow standard UK employment regulations.”