P&O ferries to resume service between Dover and Calais
The British company will resume traffic after almost a month and a half of stoppage following the dismissal of sailors who had caused a scandal.
British ferry company P&O, a subsidiary of Emirati group DB World, plans to resume traffic between Dover and Calais this week after a long hiatus following the scandal sparked by the mass seafarers’ dismissal.
A joint venture source told AFP on Tuesday that the shipping group plans to resume freight services this week, possibly as early as Wednesday, with passenger services expected to resume next week.
However, traffic remains lower than normal with only one ship, as three others are still immobilized by the British authorities for security reasons, according to this source.
On the other routes of the group, in particular between Hull (north-east) and Rotterdam (Netherlands) or Liverpool (north-west) and Dublin, the service is almost normal, specified the source close to the file.
P&O Ferries had suspended its traffic between Calais and Dover since the announcement on March 17 of the abrupt dismissal – including several hundred by videoconference -, without notice in defiance of the law, of 800 employees on its boats, replaced by contract workers on well-defined conditions. the least advantageous.
5.50 pounds per hour
The Spirit Of Britain ship was detained by British maritime authorities on April 12 after safety breaches were discovered, but the penalty was lifted on Friday.
The company’s chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite told UK parliamentarians last month that the average pay for new outsourced workers would be £5.50 per hour on average, while the minimum wage in the UK is £9.50. pounds per hour.
Mr Hebblethwaite however claims that this is permitted by international maritime regulations which do not depend on him employees of P&O ships on international lines.
The government has said it is taking legal action against P&O, the accused of breaking the law with its dry licensees, which has sparked a lot of emotion in the UK.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has also said he wants to work with other European countries, notably France, on the establishment of a minimum wage on international maritime journeys in Europe.