P&O: Stena Line to help retailers with extra ferries

Stena Line will put on two extra ferry services from Scotland to Northern Ireland from tomorrow, the UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said.

He told the Commons it would be of help to some retailers including Asda and Marks and Spencers.

He said the company had already "stepped up" following the suspension of P&O routes last week.

Up to 50 staff from Northern Ireland will be directly impacted by P&O's move to fire 800 workers last week.

Mr Shapps said if it was confirmed that relative notice periods and consultations were not conducted before P&O staff were fired, then it would be a "a matter for criminal prosecution and unlimited fines".

The Economy Minister Gordon Lyons has accused the firm of "ripping up the employment rule book".

Mr Lyons said he did not believe P&O had acted within either the "spirit or letter" of employment law, a matter devolved to Northern Ireland.

Officials are investigating potential remedies for breaches of the law.

On Thursday, the company fired about 800 of its workers, with about a quarter of the staff hearing the news via a pre-recorded video message.

A private security firm was sent on board the vessel in Larne, County Antrim, which remains docked at the port, to remove staff.

On Monday, P&O said its services, including the crossing from Larne to Cairnryan in Scotland, would be "unable to run for the next few days".

"For essential travel, customers are advised to seek alternatives themselves," the firm continued.

It had been suggested at the time of the workforce announcement that it could be a week before the ferry service could resume.

Finance Minister Conor Murphy said he raised the P&O situation during discussions with his counterparts in Scotland and Wales and the chief secretary to the treasury on Monday.

He said there should be support for the workers who needed to be treated "fairly".

"We can't just be subject to the whim of company who decide to cut their costs and behave in an appalling manner to do that," Mr Murphy added.

"P&O might want to hide behind the small print of maritime law... but the court of public opinion will not be so sympathetic," Mr Lyons told assembly members (MLAs) on Monday.

"We must send a strong message to all companies that might think of getting involved in a practice in this way."

On Sunday, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said P&O's move had been "awful" and "wrong" and the government would examine the legality of its actions.

Some of the dismissed workers and trade unions held a protest at Larne port on Friday.

P&O has said its decision to fire workers was to secure the future viability of the business.

It explained that required "swift and significant changes now".

The company said it would update its Twitter account regularly to inform people of the operational situation.

On Monday, Northern Ireland's Consumer Council said that following talks with P&O, travellers affected by the disruption could re-book their crossing with Stena Line and claim expenses from P&O.

The council's head of transport, Richard Williams, said people could also claim for additional expenditure, such as some hotel or mileage costs.

"Originally that wasn't going to be the case but they've accepted that because they can't provide the re-rerouting they normally would that people really have to book with Stena," he said.

Mr Williams said it was common for mechanical issues to cause delays to ferry services but the P&O situation was one that was "going on and on".

"It is certainly an unusual situation which is causing real problems for passengers," he added.

Mr Williams said the biggest issue was the employee situation but he warned the company faced "financial repercussions" to resolve customer issues also.

Geraldine Sinclair, who was due to travel with P&O on Thursday to a family event in Scotland said she would never use the company again because of how they treated customers and staff,

She told BBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster she needed to re-arrange transport and was told she would receive a refund.

"I don't think much of them but to be honest, it's the staff I feel sorry for. We've all been there with redundancies but certainly not like that," she said.

Geraldine's husband Jim said he would avoid the company unless there was "no viable alternative".

P&O has said its decision to fire workers was to secure the future viability of the business.

It explained that required "swift and significant changes now".