FILE PHOTO: A P&O ferry arrives at the Port of Dover, following the end of the Brexit transition period, in Dover, Britain, January 15, 2021. REUTERS/John Sibley/File Photo
The UK government has unveiled a draft Employment Rights Bill aimed at enhancing protections for seafarers, a move welcomed by UK-based maritime union Nautilus International. The bill, set to be introduced in Parliament, focuses on toughening laws around collective dismissal and reinforcing wage protections for seafarers in UK law.
The bill, set to be introduced to Parliament this week, will outlaw the practice of “fire and rehire” by requiring employers to prove there is no reasonable financial alternative to dismissing staff.
The bill also closes a loophole used by P&O Ferries in 2022 by strengthening collective redundancy notification requirements for foreign vessel operators. This measure aims to prevent incidents like the one that sparked public outrage when P&O Ferries abruptly fired 800 UK-based ferry workers, replacing them with cheaper foreign agency workers. Under the new bill, vessel operators planning to dismiss 20 or more employees must first notify the UK Government.
“Ending the scourge of meaningless fire and rehire, a damaging practice that has caused widespread instability for maritime professionals, is a victory for seafarers’ rights and a strong message of fairness and respect for all workers,” said Martyn Gray, director of organizing at Nautilus International.
“Ensuring that all seafarers regularly working in UK waters are paid at least the national minimum wage equivalent is a welcome development, addressing a long-standing issue of wage exploitation in the industry,” Gray added.
While Nautilus International acknowledges these measures as a crucial milestone, it believes stronger protections are still necessary. The union plans to advocate for additional safeguards as the bill moves through Parliament.
“This is just the beginning. We will work closely with lawmakers as the Bill moves forward to ensure it delivers the strongest possible protections for seafarers and maritime professionals,” Gray said.
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