TUC backs call for government legal advice on P&O sackings to be published

  • We must “get to the bottom of this scandal”, says TUC head

The TUC has today (Friday) backed calls for the government to publish the legal advice the Department for Transport received on whether P&O’s actions constitute a breach of the law.

Responding to the call from the Labour Party, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“We have to get to the bottom of this scandal.

“The government must be transparent and publish the legal advice it has received. That’s the very least the P&O crew deserve.

“If the company has breached the law it must face severe consequences – not just a slap on the wrist.

“What happened at P&O can never ever be allowed to happen again.

“Ministers must urgently bring forward an employment bill to stop workers from being treated like disposable labour. The time for excuses is over.”

The union body says ministers must use an employment bill to:

  • End fire and rehire style practices and stop companies firing at will: P&O has exploited many of the same weaknesses in the law as companies using the punitive fire and rehire tactics. TUC research published during the pandemic revealed that 1 in 11 (9%) of workers have been forced to re-apply for their jobs on inferior terms and conditions. The law should state that no notices of dismissal can be given until consultation has been completed. Employees should be given protection from unfair dismissal from day one in the job.
  • Increase penalties on companies that break employment law: P&O’s failure to consult staff on their redundancies was unlawful. But companies who flout employment law in this way currently face very low fines and can get away with offering staff measly compensation.
  • Ban other forms of exploitative practices:  More than 1 million workers in the UK are employed on zero-hours contracts and thousands of others are employed in bogus self- employment. The TUC says zero-hours contracts and umbrella companies should be banned.

In addition, the TUC is calling on the government to:

  • Remove DP World (P&O ferries owner) from any government advisory groups: DP World currently sits on the influential UK Government’s Transport Advisory Group.
  • Get around the table with unions representing members in the sector to urgently review government contracts with P&O and ensure livelihoods are protected