P&O Ferries operates ferries between the United Kingdom and Ireland, as well as France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The corporation provoked controversy on Thursday when it dismissed 800 employees via video connection, notifying them that it was their final day of work. It is rumoured that employees will be replaced by lower-cost contract workers.
Politicians, labour groups, and the general public have all voiced outrage over the workers' swift firing, which occurred with no previous warning. Meanwhile, easyJet, a low-cost airline, is stepping in to help P&O employees who have been laid off. The airline announced on its social media pages yesterday that it will prioritise applications for UK cabin crew positions from P&O Ferries employees.
P&O employees will be actively contacted by easyJet, who would be encouraged to apply for cabin crew positions as well as administrative and other posts at the airline's London Luton Airport headquarters. Tina Milton, Director of Cabin Services for the airline, stated, "The news regarding P&O Ferries and the fear that their employees will be experiencing has devastated everyone at easyJet. We still have fantastic seasonal cabin crew opportunities across our UK network, as well as a number of roles at our London Luton Airport headquarters, as part of our ongoing recruitment drive, and our recruitment team will be reaching out to as many individuals as possible to encourage them to apply."