P&O staff dismissal was ‘appalling’, minister says

P&O will find it hard to get any future support from the Scottish Government following the “appalling” way staff were told of their dismissal, a minister has said.

Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth said the ferry operator’s actions had “no place in a modern workplace”.

She said it was still unclear exactly how many jobs in Scotland would be affected.

On Thursday, P&O abruptly sacked 800 staff around the UK, with the news being delivered via a video message.

There are claims it plans to bring in Indian seafarers as replacements on £1.81 an hour.

On Tuesday, MSPs asked Ms Gilruth about the impact this would have on the port at Cairnryan.

The Transport Minister said she and the First Minister had met with the company’s CEO on Thursday.

Ms Gilruth said: “The First Minister spoke in the strongest terms about the appalling manner in which decisions have been taken by P&O, including the method used in communicating the redundancies to staff

“P&O’s behaviour last week reflected industrial practices which have no place in the modern workplace.”

She said the Scottish Government was already providing support to employees who had been made redundant through its PACE programme.

She continued: “Until and unless they change how they behave towards their employees, they will find it very hard to get any support in any form from this Scottish Government now or in the future.”

The Transport Minister said the issue involved a “complex mix” of devolved and reserved responsibilities and she would be writing to her UK Government counterpart Grant Shapps.