P&O Ferries CEO Under Fire for Low Wages and Poor Working Conditions

The CEO of P&O Ferries has come under fire after admitting to paying staff less than £5 an hour, while he received a significant bonus. During a Parliamentary Committee performance, Peter Hebblethwaite revealed his annual salary of £325,000 and a bonus of £183,000, while acknowledging that some workers were paid as little as £4.87 an hour, lower than previously stated by the company.

Concerns were raised about the working conditions of seafarers, with evidence showing some workers going without leave for 17 weeks straight, which is considered unsafe internationally. The RMT union criticized the lack of Tory MPs present during the questioning and condemned the CEO for his actions at the company. Mick Lynch called for Hebblethwaite to be held accountable for the mistreatment of workers and highlighted the need for better working conditions and regulations in the shipping industry.

The union also emphasized the need for investment in skills and improved terms and conditions for seafarers, as well as calling for companies like DP World, which owns P&O Ferries, to be removed from the country to prevent exploitation. The lack of government action following the mass sackings of seafarers in 2022 was also criticized, with calls for stronger laws to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Source .