FERRY firm P&O was accused yesterday of treating its crews with “utter contempt” by launching an all-out attack on wages and conditions during the continuing coronavirus crisis.

Maritime union RMT says the firm is proposing pay cuts, replacement of British seafarers with foreign crew, no-strike clauses, redundancies, cuts to sick pay, scrapping long-service benefits, and annual leave restrictions.

The changes will affect crews on P&O’s Irish Sea, North Sea and Dover-Calais fleets.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “Threatening permanent cuts to seafarers’ jobs, pay and conditions and the maritime supply chain at a time of national crisis sends a message of utter contempt to my members and the country as a whole.

“If P&O think that holding a gun to our members’ heads whilst sprinting towards the cliff edge is ‘consultation,’ then they’ve got another thing coming.”

P&O Ferries’ ultimate owner is the global corporation DP World, based in the United Arab Emirates.

A company statement said. “We are working hard to secure support totalling just over £250 million to safeguard jobs and the viability of the business. [The unions] need to work with us to implement these changes urgently.”