18 May 2020
RMT Press Office:
SEAFARERS Union RMT today reacted with concern to news that the UK Government has provided £35m in support to six ferry companies, including P&O Ferries operating critical freight routes during the Coronavirus pandemic.
RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:
“No freight moves without seafarers. The Government needs to remember this when dishing out public money to private ferry companies during the pandemic.
“We are extremely concerned that this money is not available on the critical Holyhead-Dublin route and that there are no conditions attached that will protect seafarer jobs from the likes of P&O Ferries’ owners in Dubai who are using public funds to pursue mass redundancies in Dover and Hull now and cheaper foreign crews replacing UK seafarers when passenger demand returns.
“We need action now to protect our seafarers’ jobs for the long term or the Government will have failed to protect these strategically vital jobs in working class communities.”
Ends.
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