MORE than 50 transport workers’ union leaders from around the world have gathered at DP World’s London office to condemn the company’s treatment of P&O Ferries employees.

Dubai-based DP World, which owns P&O Ferries in the United Kingdom, received global backlash last month after dismissing 800 seafarers with little warning.

“The disgraceful and callous actions of P&O leadership, signed off by DP World, falls foul of responsible business practices and principles, and DP World’s own standards,” ITF president and ITF dockers’ section chair Paddy Crumlin said at the rally.

He said DP World had acted against the labour principles set out in the United Nations Global Compact, which it signed in 2019.

“By allowing its P&O Ferries’ management to sack a unionised workforce en-masse with no consultation, DP World has clearly broken its pledge to uphold ‘freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining’ of 800 of its employees,” Mr Crumlin said.

He described it as a global governance failure by DP World’s leadership.

“P&O Ferries’ conduct raised serious questions of DP World’s promise to implement the UNGC’s principles to ‘create a better future for everyone’. There are 800 seafarers right now asking where their better future is.”

Mr Crumlin called on DP World executives from Dubai to step in and rectify the situation.

“It’s time for P&O Ferries CEO to go. It’s time for them to speak to us,” he said.

“We represent hundreds of dockworkers’ unions. We have a presence in most of DP World’s ports. We want the company to talk to us about fixing this fiasco, and to be frank – to do what is in their own best interests.”

ITF seafarers’ section chair David Heindel said DP world had let the seafaring industry down.

“This is the biggest maritime failure we’ve seen in a long time,” he said.

“My advice to DP World would be: cut your losses. Talk to the unions. Find a solution.”

European Transport Workers’ Federation union general president Frank Moreels said the situation demonstrates that operators should be required to work in a meaningful way with social partners, including unions.

“This will help to ensure that seafarers cannot be treated in such a shameful way again, and that safety standards are maintained aboard our ferries for the safety of crew and passengers alike.”