Yesterday, the lives of many Hull seafarers suffered a hammer blow as P&O ferries made the extraordinary announcement that they would be sacking 800 crew with immediate effect.

However today, trade unionists and members of our city  joined sacked P&O workers to protest against the company’s decision to replace all its crew with cheaper agency workers without warning, notice, or consultation.

Outside the gates, the rally was addressed by myself, union officials as well as former Labour leader Ed Miliband, it was impressive to see such a large turn out in such short notice to send a message to P&O Ferries and their parent company DP World that they have another thing coming if they think they can get away with treating British workers like this.

As the we marched down to the ferry terminal, there was chants of ‘Say no to P&O’ and in a speech to the crowd I said that “It’s no good doing a pre-recorded Zoom from afar. The Bosses should get themselves down to Hull and face the sacked men and women and explain to them why they’ve done what they’ve done.”