Steam Packet Company say there is no comparison to P&O

Mon, 02 Oct 2023

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company is responding to suggestions it is doing a “P&O”.

P&O Ferries admitted to breaking the law when it sacked 800 workers without notice, as acknowledged by their CEO at the House of Commons Business and Transport Select Committee in March 2022.

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company has said its negotiated with the unions for over two years, made a number of concessions and followed due process throughout.

As a result, one union, representing about 70% of the sea going staff, has accepted the amended terms and conditions in exchange for a compensation package that includes:

• increased manning levels on Manxman to spread the workload

• an option of either one week on/one week-off or two weeks on/two weeks-off

• an additional 6 days annual leave

• a 5% live on-board bonus for the first year

The Steam Packet have said that when it “became clear that further negotiation would be unproductive, the Company continued to follow due process in informing Nautilus of its intention to enter a 30-day consultation period”.

It says this provides Nautilus members with time to make a final decision on whether to accept the change in terms and conditions and the compensation package on offer.

The Company says it “does not want to put any of its staff in this position, but cannot ignore the strong business case for making changes that will benefit the whole of the Island and its visitors”.

It added that it has no intention of reducing pay, employing cheaper agency labour or changing any of the other terms and conditions.

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