- New blow for UK's Starmer as growth data disappoints
- China's top banks to tweak mortgage rates to boost housing market
- Muslim women break taboos navigating east London's waterways
- Nepal dam-building spree powers electric vehicle boom
- More than 60 dead from storm Helene as rescue, cleanup efforts grow
- Dozens missing, 9 dead in migrant boat wreck off Spanish Canaries
- Death toll from Hurricane John hits eight in Mexico
- Storm Helene's toll rises as rescue and cleanup efforts gain pace
- SpaceX launches mission to return stranded astronauts
- Storm Helene kills 44, threatens more 'catastrophic' flooding as cleanup begins
- SpaceX set to launch mission to return stranded astronauts
- Storm Helene kills 44, threatens more 'catastrophic' flooding
- Boeing strike grinds on as latest talks fail to reach agreement
- Iran 'news' sites, hackers target Trump ahead of US election
- US ports brace for potential dockworkers strike
- Japan's speedy, spotless Shinkansen bullet trains turn 60
- US hurricane deaths rise to 44, fears of more 'catastrophic' flooding
- Global stocks mostly rise, cheering Beijing stimulus
- Europe en route for Moon with new simulator, says astronaut Pesquet
- Fireworks forecast if comet survives risky Sun flypast
- Argentina judge orders dictionary to delete pejorative definition of 'Jewish'
- Global stocks rise on rate hopes, Beijing stimulus
- S.African woman turns 118, among the oldest in the world
- UK clears $4 bn AI partnership between Amazon, Anthropic
- Barca fans barred from Champions League away game over racist banner
- Chinese stocks extend surge, Europe higher on Beijing stimulus
- Pope says Church must 'seek forgiveness' for child sexual abuse
- China caps week of 'bazooka' stimulus for ailing economy with rate cut
- Cuts, cash, credit: China bids to jumpstart flagging economy
- France's debt weighs heavier ahead of budget debate
- Iran treads carefully, backing Hezbollah while avoiding war
- Return to sender: waste stranded at sea stirs toxic dispute
- 'Broken' news industry faces uncertain future
- On remote Greek island, migratory birds offer climate clues
- Taken from mother by nuns, victim seeks answers as pope visits Belgium
- China cuts amount banks hold in reserve to boost lending
- Hong Kong, Shanghai extend surge as China optimism boosts markets
- Vietnam president reiterates support for Cuba during official visit
- Drought reduces Amazon River in Colombia by as much as 90%: report
- Stay or go? Pacific Islanders face climate's grim choice
- Florida bracing for 'unsurvivable' Hurricane Helene
- Poverty rises to over 52 percent in Milei's Argentina
- Chloe's see-through look may not be for Kamala Harris
- Champagne houses abuzz over English sparkling wine
- Macron, Trudeau pledge to work for 'decarbonized' economies
- Hurricanes, storms, typhoons... Is September wetter than usual?
- China stimulus, tech optimism boost stock markets
- 'Unsurvivable' Hurricane Helene races towards Florida
- Macron meets Trudeau in Canada as both face political setbacks
- South Korea surges in UN innovation index
P&O Ferries admits breaking law over sackings
Scandal-hit P&O Ferries on Thursday admitted that the company "chose" to break UK employment law when it fired 800 seafaring workers without notice last week.
The shock move last Thursday sparked angry protests at the group's facilities across the country and also prompted a legal challenge from the UK government.
Chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite, appearing before a parliamentary hearing, conceded P&O failed to consult trade unions as required by law -- and revealed that replacement agency crew are paid far below minimum wage.
"There is absolutely no doubt that we were required to consult with the unions. We chose not to do that," Hebblethwaite told a joint hearing of the transport and business select committees.
"We chose not to consult and we are, and will, compensate everybody in full for that."
The loss-making firm, owned by Dubai's DP World, sparked outrage when it told workers in a video-conference call that a quarter of P&O jobs were going with immediate effect.
Unions were further angered as P&O replaced crews with cheaper agency workers from overseas -- and encouraged sacked staff to re-apply for posts under a so-called "fire and rehire" policy.
In a further blow, Hebblethwaite told lawmakers that the new agency crews were being paid far below the UK's hourly minimum wage apart from on domestic routes.
He insisted this was allowed under international maritime rules.
Hebblethwaite, who earns a basic salary of £325,000 per year, added that the average hourly pay for the new crew stood at just £5.50 per hour.
Britain's minimum wage for people aged 23 years and above currently stands at £8.91 per hour.
- Prosecution -
The P&O chief insisted that transport minister Grant Shapps knew about the intention to cut jobs in November last year, but the Department for Transport denied this.
The sackings sparked extraordinary scenes of security guards scaling vessels to remove sacked staff, as some refused to leave.
Cancellations of services saw long tailbacks on roads leading to Channel ports.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson had attacked the company's actions as "callous" on Wednesday.
"I think that it is no way to treat hardworking employees and... we will not sit by because under section 194 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act of 1992 it looks to me as though the company concerned has broken the law.
"We will be taking action, therefore, and we will be encouraging workers themselves to take action under the 1996 Employment Rights Act," Johnson said.
The Trade Union and Labour Relations Act states that employers wanting to make 20 or more employees redundant in less than 90 days have to hold talks with their staff representatives to either agree an alternative or avoid the job losses.
As part of the process, the employer has to inform the government at least 30 days before the first dismissal is due to take effect.
H.Müller--CPN