General Secretary Mick Lynch said: “For the third time in a month P&O’s Cypriot flagged Pride of Kent has failed a full safety inspection by the MCA.
“Passengers and hauliers need to know that P&O’s fleet is operated by over worked and under skilled agency crews, some expected to work for up to 17 weeks on the intensive Dover-Calais route.
“We are also hearing that P&O’s Maltese crewing agency, IFM is discriminating against Indian seafarers and has dumped four Honduran seafarers in Dover without any financial support, which is against the Maritime Labour Convention.
“P&O Ferries clearly pose a growing threat to maritime safety and the future of the UK ferry industry. The only way to restore safety and economic stability in the ferry industry is for the government to take over the running of P&O Ferries and to restore skilled seafarers to their jobs on union rates of pay.”
