P&O Ferries will not be prosecuted for the sudden dismissal of hundreds of employees | NOW

British ferry operator P&O Ferries does not face criminal charges over its decision to lay off hundreds of workers in one fell swoop earlier this year. This was announced by the British authorities. The massive dismissal sparked outrage in the UK. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also been very critical of the course of events.

P&O, which also sails between Rotterdam and Hull in the UK, suddenly stopped all docked ferries in March. The company informed its staff that around 800 people would be made redundant with immediate effect. They have been replaced by cheaper labor hired from outside.

According to the company, which lost £100million last year, this was necessary to keep the jobs of 2,200 others. P&O CEO Peter Hebblethwaite later admitted he broke the rules during the reorganization by not telling the unions of the dismissal. But the talks with the unions would have been a sham, he said.

According to a statement from the British Insolvency Service, a thorough criminal investigation has been carried out to determine whether any criminal offenses have been committed. He concludes that there is “no realistic prospect of a conviction”. An investigation into a possible civil lawsuit is still ongoing.

The union deals a blow to the workers

Seafarers’ union Nautilus International calls the failure to prosecute a blow to workers who were allegedly “fired”. The situation is particularly difficult for the union because DP World of Dubai, the owner of P&O, recently announced that it had made a record profit in the first half of this year.

This good result is probably mainly due to the other branches of the company. These branches are separate from DP World’s ferry business.