P&O Ferries will have to reverse its decision to sack 800 staff under changes to the law being drawn up by the government, Grant Shapps has warned the company.
In a letter to P&O Ferries’ chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite, the Treasury Secretary said new measures would be introduced to ensure that seafarers' rights are protected including paying staff the UK minimum wage.
The Dubai-owned ferry company sparked outrage two weeks ago when it sacked 800 staff and replaced them with agency staff on £5.15 an hour or getting on for half the UK minimum of £8.91.
Shapps said he was giving the company one further opportunity to reverse the decision and immediately offer all those workers their jobs back on their previous terms and wages.
He wrote: "To be clear, our package of measures will prevent the law being broken, even when knowingly attempted."
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Hebblethwaite admitted last week when questioned by MPs that the company had broken UK law with the sackings by not consulting staff before they were fired.
He claimed that without the changes the company could not continue to trade profitably.
Shapps said: "Given we intend to ensure such outcomes are prevented by laws - which we will ensure that you cannot simply choose to ignore - I believe you will be left with little choice but to reverse your decision in any case.”