The Government has promised to introduce new National Minimum Wage legislation in response to the P&O sackings.
Recently P&O caused controversy with a mass ‘fire and rehire’, failing to provide proper notice to staff, unions or government; a move which CEO Peter Hebblethwaite admitted broke employment law.
The Government has responded with changes to National Minimum Wage law, which will be introduced to parliament later this week. It is understood that the legislation will aim to close loopholes used by shipping operators to classify workers as ‘overseas’; avoiding National Minimum Wage law. The move will reduce the financial benefit to P&O in hiring new workers, potentially increasing the chances of the existing staff being retained. Union bosses maintain that staff should be employed on their original contracts.
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