After a public outcry from the international labor movement and elected officials, P&O Ferries CEO Peter Hebblethwaite will no longer be attending the Interferry Conference in Seattle.
Read the full story – Seattle Unions to Greet ‘most hated man in Britain’ Monday
In March 2022, Hebblethwaite fired nearly 800 workers — represented by Nautilus International and the RMT (U.K. maritime unions) — on a pre-recorded Zoom call with just 30 minutes notice. They were to be replaced with agency workers on short-term contracts paid on average £5.15 per hour, below the UK minimum wage. This was done without notice or consultation with trade unions, and without notifying the secretary of state as required under the law. Hebblethwaite later admitted he knew his actions were illegal, but he would do it again.
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