P&O Ferries chief executive admits that job cuts broke law

Update (March 28): British transport secretary Grant Shapps has written to P&O Ferries, stating the roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) provider must immediately reverse 800 job cuts, or be forced into doing so by a new package of measures.

Commenting that CEO Peter Hebblethwaite’s position is “untenable”, Shapps said that the measures would block the action P&O has pursued, including paying workers less than the minimum wage.

He also called for the deadlines imposed on seafarers to respond to redundancy offers by March 31 to be dropped. According to the BBC, around 430 people have already accepted redundancy payments.