Outrage at public contract for firm behind P&O sackings

A determination to grant the proprietor of P&O Ferries a large nationalist declaration has sparked outrage, aft the steadfast sacked 800 workers without announcement past year.

DP World has been approved to co-run the Thames Freeport successful Essex, arsenic portion of Rishi Sunak's freeports plan.

The Trades Union Congress said it was an "appalling decision", enabling different employers "to enactment with impunity".

The authorities said the caller freeport would "help to turn the economy".

P&O Ferries sacked hundreds of seafarers successful March 2022 and replaced them with overseas bureau workers paid little than the minimum wage.

The determination sparked outrage and led to calls for P&O's brag Peter Hebblethwaite to resign.

At the clip authorities called the workers' attraction "wholly unacceptable".

A week afterwards, Mr Hebblethwaite admitted to MPs that the determination had breached employment law.

Freeports purpose to make economical enactment - similar trade, concern and jobs - adjacent shipping ports oregon airports.

Goods imported into freeports are exempt from taxes, called tariffs, that are usually paid to the government.

Eight freeports person already been acceptable up successful England, with much successful the pipeline.

The authorities confirmed that a caller freeport for the Thames Estuary portion had precocious been approved, and would beryllium tally by a concern betwixt DP World, the carmaker Ford and Forth Ports.

Paul Nowak, wide caput of the TUC, said ministers should person "stripped the institution of each its nationalist contracts and severed commercialized ties" aft the P&O sackings.

"But the authorities has chosen alternatively to reward DP World with different bumper deal. This is giving a greenish airy to different rogue employers to enactment with impunity."

A authorities spokesperson said the caller freeport "will assistance to turn the system and level up by unlocking high-quality jobs and much-needed concern into the area.

"This support means that the freeport volition present person up to £25m from authorities and perchance hundreds of millions successful locally-retained concern rates."

The spokesperson added that the backing volition spell to section authorities successful the freeport area, and volition beryllium utilized "to payment the full region".

The BBC has approached DP World for comment.