P&O Ferries Mass Sacking in March 2022 Research Report

Join us in person for the launch of A Sea of Controversy: The P&O Ferries Purge Through a Seafarer’s Eyes. Dive deep into the stormy waters of recent events, told firsthand by someone who’s lived it, John Lansdown. Don’t miss this chance to hear the real story and uncover what goes on behind the scenes of the ferry industry!

In March 2022, 786 UK-based seafarers were summarily dismissed by P&O Ferries without prior consultation. The event sent shockwaves through the maritime industry and raised urgent questions about employment law, corporate governance, and the protection of workers in strategically important sectors.

This event marks the official launch of the new report:

The Impact of Mass Dismissals on Maritime Workers: A Study into the Actions of P&O Ferries in March 2022

Drawing on survey responses from 69 dismissed seafarers and 15 in-depth interviews , the report examines the crisis through the lens of interactional, procedural, and distributive justice. It documents significant mental health impacts, perceived regulatory failures, and structural weaknesses in UK employment law, while advancing concrete policy recommendations.

This launch will bring together researchers, policymakers, trade unionists, maritime stakeholders, employment lawyers, HR professionals, and those directly affected to discuss:

• What really happened in March 2022
• The lived experiences behind the headlines
• The role of government and unions
• Gaps in UK labour law and maritime regulation

• John Lansdown – Seafarers’ rights campaigner and former P&O Ferries worker
• Dr Jonathan Lord – Senior Lecturer in HRM, University of Salford
• Saad Baset – Lecturer in Employment Law, University of Salford
• Panel discussion with invited representatives from trade unions, maritime law, and public policy (TBC)

Join us for a critical conversation about justice, accountability, and the future of maritime employment rights.

This is more than a report launch. It is a discussion about how the UK protects – or fails to protect – workers in moments of crisis.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Salford Business School