OVER the next few weeks there was a period of adjustment back into civilian and domestic life. My demob leave lasted until February 1947. Initially I spent most of the time with Helen an the family at home and making numerous visits to see relatives and friends, many of whom I had not seen in a long while.
All this was undertaken against the backdrop of one of the coldest winters on record, with freezing temperatures and snow that lasted for months.
Rationing was also quite extreme and there were shortages of almost everything. Coal was in very short supply and consequently so, too, was electricity. Food was scarce and making do was still very much the way most people were living day-to-day – but at least the fighting was over and we were grateful for our survival.
A feeling among many at this time was that winning the war against a repressive and brutal regime had been essential, although at an awful cost. But people now talked about ‘Winning the Peace’ and there was much to do.
In the mid-1930s I had started to think about the problems affecting working people and how to change things for the better. Why were there problems of unemployment poverty and hunger – and why were these problems not being solved?
Having served in the army for over five years it had given me, like so many other young men and women, opportunities to talk about these issues and develop a determination not to return to the bad times of the 1930s, but instead to work for a better world. Surely, now, in peacetime, things had to change?
In the future there should be no acceptance of unemployment or poverty, but a need to secure good working conditions, annual leave, sick pay and to tackle the many other issues that needed to be addressed.
New research reveals almost half (47%) of pet owners are worried about how they’d afford to pay for vet bills if their pet fell ill or became injured – increasing by 17% since 2022. The data comes from a report by leading vet charity PDSA, which is providing frontline support for desperate owners, as more struggle with the cost of living crisis.
The charity’s 2022 PAW Report also highlighted that a worrying 61% of cats and 39% of dogs were uninsured, meaning thousands of owners could find themselves in financial trouble with an unexpected vet bill should the worst happen.
With the cost of living not set to ease any time soon, PDSA Vet, Claire Roberts, shares her expert tips to save money when caring for your pet.
Claire said: “The cost of living continues to rise, with daily essentials out of budget for millions of people. Our latest PAW report found many people are already reducing their energy consumption to ensure they can care for their pets.
“We know there are certain expenses associated with pet ownership that can’t be avoided, including food and treatment costs if they should fall ill or become injured. However, there are still ways to reduce your pet-related outgoings while maintaining your furry family member’s health and happiness.
Prevention is better than cure
“One of the best ways to safeguard your beloved pet and avoid unplanned costs for medical care is to keep on top of their preventive healthcare.
“Cutting back on pets’ annual booster vaccinations or regular flea and worming treatments may appear to save money in the short-term, but avoiding these measures puts their overall health at risk. Not only this, but if they do become ill as a result, the subsequent treatment is likely to cost substantially more than the preventive options.
“Likewise, neutering your pet prevents unwanted pregnancies, reduces the likelihood of them developing some serious illnesses and can lessen certain behaviours like spraying, aggression and roaming.
Don’t ignore insurance
“If your pet does become ill or injured, insurance can ensure any treatment they need will have less of an impact on your finances. The monthly cost of insurance will depend on a range of factors, including the level of cover as well as your pet’s breed and age.
“Cheaper policies are often ‘accident only’ and may not cover anything illness-related, while more expensive lifetime policies tend to provide cover for any accidents or illnesses (though they don’t usually cover vaccinations or other preventive treatments) as long as the policy is continued, without a break. So make sure you read the small print carefully.
“When considering insurance, we always recommend researching any breed-related illnesses your pet may be prone to, that way you can review which policies cover those, for extra security.
Watch the pounds
“It’s important to monitor your pet’s weight and take action if they are gaining extra pounds – this will help avoid weight-related health problems which can require costly lifelong medication. The best way to help furry friends maintain a healthy weight is by incorporating daily exercise into their routine and ensuring they eat a complete, well-balanced, nutritious diet. Treats should also only make up 10% of your pet’s daily food allowance, which is also a great way to cut back and save, if you are over-indulging your pet with snacks!
Buy in bulk
“Pet food is typically more cost-effective when bought in larger quantities, with bargains to be had by shopping around.
“If your financial situation means that you are considering switching to a cheaper food, make sure you choose one labelled ‘complete’ – a nutritionally balanced diet is vital in supporting pets’ overall health and helps to avoid potentially costly medical treatment in the long term.
Learn to groom your pet at home
“Grooming costs soon add up, especially for long-haired pets or those with tightly-curled coat types, such as Poodles and their crosses. Brushing regularly can also help you spot any skin problems before they develop into anything more serious.
“There are lots of free resources that offer cost-saving tips and advice on maintaining your pet’s health available on the PDSA website. Personal circumstances can change at any time and if you do find yourself struggling to afford your pet’s veterinary care, see if you are eligible for free or low-cost support by using the charity’s eligibility checker.”
PDSA relies on donations to deliver life-saving treatment to hundreds of thousands of pets across its 48 Pet Hospitals in the UK.
To help keep families together, the charity is urgently calling on the public’s support more than ever to prevent vulnerable people having to make a truly heartbreaking decision.
Stop It Now! Scotland and NSPCC Scotland are calling on the Scottish Government to develop a national strategy to tackle child sexual abuse that focuses on prevention to make the country a safer place to grow up.
The two charities hosted an event in partnership with the Scottish Parliament this week (Wednesday, March 15) with leading experts in the field.
They discussed the devastating harms and long-lasting impact that sexual abuse can have on victims, that punishment alone will not eradicate this problem and what we can do to prevent children being abused in the first place. They also talked about the next steps we need to take to guarantee Scotland is the safest country for children to grow up.
They are urging the Scottish Government to develop a comprehensive and coordinated national approachto prevent child sexual abuse, which involves health, police, education, community safety, children’s services, social services, housing and the wider community. The child protection charities say it is vital that everyone understands what child sexual abuse is and knows how they can be part of preventing it.
A review of UK data revealed that 15 per cent of females and 5 per cent of males will experience some form of sexual abuse before the age of 16.
This means at least 80,000 children in Scotland will have been affected by this issue before they leave high school. Although this is thought to be an under-representation of the scale of the problem and the actual number of children who have experienced sexual abuse in Scotland is not known.
The charities say that to understand the numbers of children in Scotland affected and the scale of the suffering it is crucial that a prevalence survey is conducted.
Professor Elizabeth Letourneau, Director of the Moore Centre for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse, School of Public Health, John Hopkins University, said: “Child sexual abuse affects about one in nine children – 12 per cent of all children – globally. Victims are at risk of immediate harms, such as fear, injury, and pregnancy, and a broad array of serious health problems can emerge and last across the lifespan.
“Only one in five cases of child sexual abuse are ever reported to the authorities. This means that we miss at least 80 per cent of cases, so punishment will never be enough if we are to effectively address this public health problem.
“I believe our failure to focus on prevention stems from a general misgiving that child sexual abuse really is not preventable. That people who are at risk of perpetrating abuse are monsters and their behaviour cannot be predicted or prevented, and they will only respond to punishment.
“But we know this is not true. We already have good evidence that we can effectively prevent child sexual abuse perpetration.”
Pat Branigan, Assistant Director of NSPCC’s Together for Childhood, said: “One of the most important messages from today is that child sexual abuse is preventable and not inevitable.
“The ultimate goal is to develop a framework, based on evidence of what we know already works, which can be used to support agencies and organisations to work together and prevent child sexual abuse in communities.
“We need to create strong local partnerships between social care, schools, health, voluntary groups, the police and communities that focus on preventing people from offending, and empower and educate children and adults to recognise the signs of abuse and how they can report their concerns.
“Ultimately it will not be governments, experts or professionals who eradicate child sexual abuse, it will be individuals, families and communities.”
Stuart Allardyce, Director, Lucy Faithfull Foundation / Stop It Now! Scotland, said: “Last year we helped 7,000 people across the UK through our Helpline. Not all were adults worried about their own sexual thoughts, feelings and behaviour, but around half of them were.
“We also had adults who were worried about another adult, or because they had found evidence their partner has been seeking out child sexual abuse material online.
“We believe that if you build prevention initiatives, people will come – professionals, protective adults, but also those who worried about the risk that they may present to children. We can no longer say that people won’t use self-help prevention resources, because the evidence is that they can and do and that prevention works.”
Childlight, based at the University of Edinburgh, also launched the first comprehensive global data repository this week, which will look at all forms of child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA), with the aim of being able to show the scale and nature of this abuse.
Children and young people can contact Childline for free, confidential support and advice 24 hours a day online at www.childline.org.uk or on the phone on 0800 1111
Anyone with concerns about a child’s wellbeing can contact the NSPCC Helpline on help@nspcc.org.uk. The NSPCC practitioners provide free and confidential help and advice and can take appropriate steps to help keep children safe. If a child is in immediate danger, please call 999.
The NSPCC also has advice and resources for parents, carers on how to have simple, age appropriate conversations with children to help prevent sexual abuse through their Talk PANTS campaign. This helps children understand that their body belongs to them and to recognise when something is not okay and how to tell someone.
This Mother’s Day, mother and daughter Aileen Robertson and Eilidh McMillian share stories about their special time performing together at the iconic Edinburgh Castle Esplanade as part of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
Connected through their family bond and mutual love of dance, they have been involved with the Tattoo for many years, with Eilidh having performed on the iconic Edinburgh Castle Esplanade and Aileen leading the Tattoo Dancers as Dance Director since 2014.
A previous Champion Dancer, Eilidh first performed at the Tattoo in 2014 and performed with the illustrious Show for three years before becoming the Dance Captain working alongside her mum. For both Aileen and Eilidh, dance is a central component of their lives, and the opportunity to be part of the world-famous Tattoo is a career highlight.
Speaking about her experience at the Tattoo, Eilidh said: “I danced for the first time when my Mum took over in 2014 and I absolutely loved it and have great memories.
“After I became Dance Captain, I made a very good reserve dancer for the team and in fact was required to dance in the Show most recently in 2018.”
Aileen added: “The Tattoo is always a highlight every year and I’m always excited to see the Show coming together.
“It is great to work with a talented team of people to produce the show. It’s exciting to feel the buzz from the audience as they arrive onto the Esplanade. You are surrounded by excitement and an audience waiting in anticipation to view the Show.”
It has never been a challenge for Aileen and Eilidh to work together. Eilidh explains that like all her dance classmates, she had to prove that she wanted to dance for herself and earn her place in the team. Being able to work together at the Tattoo was a special time for them both, as they were able to share in and experience the diversity and the global connection that the Tattoo brings.
Aileen continued: “We both have a passion for what we do, and working together is always great fun. We have a close relationship so I can rely on her loyalty and commitment, both professionally and personally. She is always by my side if I need her.”
When not supporting the production of the Tattoo, Aileen can be found at her own Dance School in Ayr running classes four nights a week. She is also a Fellow and Examiner of the Scottish Dance Teachers’ Alliance (SDTA), a Life Member of the British Association of Teachers of Dancing (BATD) and an Adjudicator on the Worldwide Panel of Adjudicators of the Royal Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing.
Eilidh works closely with her mother teaching full-time at the Dance School, covering all classes when Aileen is overseas or on Tattoo business. Like her mother, Eilidh is a Fellow and Examiner of the SDTA and an Adjudicator on the Worldwide Panel of Adjudicators of the Royal Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing.
A mother herself to two-year-old Thomas, Eilidh concluded: “Everything good about me, came from my mum. If I can be half the mother that she is, I will consider motherhood a success.”
The special connection, sparkling creativity, and outstanding talent that Aileen and Eilidh both bring to the Tattoo shines through in their contribution to each rehearsal, performance, and Show. As the Tattoo prepares to bring Stories to the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade this coming August, Aileen and Eilidh’s story is a reminder of what the Tattoo represents.
Jason Barrett, Chief Operating Officer of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “This year’s Tattoo Show Stories brings people together from every corner of the world to share tales of the joy of each other’s cultures.
“It’s the people, like Aileen and Eilidh, that truly bring the Tattoo story to life and come together to make, build, and strengthen relationships each and every August.
“Under the stars at the landmark Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, our performers – our very own Tattoo family – will bring a collection of unique stories and experiences this August that will delight audiences near and far.”
Stories will run from 4-26 August 2023, featuring the military at the heart of the showcase with the Royal Air Force confirmed as the lead service.
Audiences can expect the magnificent sounds of the Massed Pipes and Drums filling up the Esplanade alongside performances from the incredibly talented Tattoo Pipes and Drums and Tattoo Dancers.
Further details about Stories will be announced in the coming months.
To purchase tickets for the summer’s Show, visit edintattoo.co.uk/tickets or call 0131 225 1188.
Scotland’s newest camping festival, Otherlands, adds Six by Nico to its line-up for 2023
Partnership marks new direction for Six by Nico with first-ever ‘al-fresco’ experience
Otherlands Music & Arts Festival has announced that it’s adding flavour to its line-up this summer by teaming up with leading restaurant brand Six by Nico. Festival goers can look forward to a one-of-a-kind woodland sensory dining experience, bringing a bespoke gastronomic story to life.
The festival lands at Scone Palace in Perth, Scotland, this summer (11th-13th August 2023) for its second edition, bringing some of the most influential global and home-grown musical talent to its stages.
With 11 locations across the UK, including Edinburgh – the restaurant – will be dishing up its classic six-course menu across August 12th and 13th. Six by Nico will reveal the brand-new menu, exclusive to Otherlands in coming months. It will also be the group’s first-ever al-fresco dining experience.
Otherlands Arts and Music Festival was founded by Tom Ketley, owner of FLY – an event promotion company which has been hosting music events across Scotland now for over a decade. The festival boasts everything from live and electronic music, to punk, rock and rap.
Acts already announced for 2023 include the likes of Hudson Mohawke, Skin On Skin, Nia Archives & Overmono. Headline acts in 2022 included DJs BICEP, Jamie XX and Honey Dijon, while there were daytime live performances from singers Joesef, Maverick Sabre and Biig Piig.
As well as a carefully curated line-up of forward-thinking artists spanning multiple stages, the festival will also boast immersive art installations from leading Scottishartists, and will even host comedy direct from Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival, DJ Workshops, and inspiring industry talks and panel discussions with industry leaders.
Sam Joss, Otherlands Festival Director said: “We’re so excited about this partnership!
“With food at festivals being more important than ever, this collaboration really aligns with our ethos and pairs well with boutique camping, a stunning location and of course, a globally recognised musical line-up.
“We can’t wait to see how our guests react to the creativity of the Six by Nico menu and enjoy this multi-sensory dining experience in the unbeatable setting that is Scone Palace”.
Andy Temple, Chef and Chief Creative Officer at Six by Nico, said: “We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Otherlands on this unique event.
“It’s something completely new for us, and I believe it represents a new creative turning point for our company. A multi-sensory dining idea pushes us outside of our comfort zone and is an exciting move in a new direction for Six by Nico, as part of our mission to innovate and challenge ourselves in designing a new menu every six weeks.
“Otherlands takes a multifaceted approach to their festival, celebrating music, wellness, and arts, and Six by Nico is excited to add to that with our new on-site dining experience. The festival itself brings people together to celebrate, and our team is delighted to be a part of it”.
Early-bird Festival tickets are now sold out, but limited first release tickets are still available – ranging from £180-£189 for camping and non-camping options with Day Tickets becoming available at the end of March. Six by Nico ticket add-ons will go on sale following the launch of the menu in May.
As part of the collaboration, a competition will also be launching soon, where three lucky winners will bag two weekend camping tickets, a pair of tickets to the multi-sensory dining experience and a table for two people at Six by Nico. Another six runners-up prizes of £20 Six by Nico vouchers will be up for grabs.
Scientists in NHS Lothian have helped to develop national infection controls after studying COVID-19 transmission between hospitals and care homes.
The teams found that 99 per cent of patients discharged from hospital into care homes during the first wave of the pandemic did not introduce COVID-19 into care homes.
The study, conducted with the University of Edinburgh, focused on patients in Lothian discharged from hospital into 130 care homes from 1st March 2020 to 31st May 2020.
Of the 787 discharges in this time, the researchers found that the majority – a total of 776 – did not introduce COVID-19 into care homes as a result of their hospital stay.
Forty-one of the discharged patients had a positive COVID-19 test within two weeks of leaving hospital and genome sequencing was used to identify if these cases could be linked.
The study found that 30 patients likely contracted this in the care home or from the community.
The results of 10 patients were inconclusive and one patient was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 during their stay in hospital.
Very sadly, this patient later passed away and a number of residents in their care home subsequently contracted COVID-19.
Dona Milne, Director of Public Health and Health Policy, NHS Lothian, said: “This study has shown that 99 per cent of hospital discharges didn’t introduce COVID-19 cases into Lothian care homes during the first wave of the pandemic.
“However, we’re able to say with certainty that one care home outbreak in this time originated from us. We are deeply saddened by this, and our heartfelt apologies and condolences are with the families and loved ones of those affected.
“We began testing symptomatic care home residents very early in the pandemic, so it’s been really important for us to use this information to find out what we can learn about how the virus was contracted and spread and how this linked to our hospitals.”
Before the nation went into its first lockdown when testing wasn’t widely available, NHS Lothian built capacity into its labs specifically to PCR test those who were symptomatic in hospitals and care homes.
Because of this early testing of symptomatic patients, in-depth data was available to the research team to enable them to genome sequence the transmission of the virus as part of the study.
Dr Kate Templeton, Head of Molecular Diagnostics for NHS Lothian who led the study, said: “Testing was a priority for us from the beginning and we were the first health board in Scotland to build capacity in our labs specifically for care home residents.
“This early testing has enabled us to genome sequence the virus and track where this was acquired and how this spread, leading to the creation of an outbreak methodology which has informed best practice at both Scotland and UK-level.
“This methodology not only has applications to COVID-19 but other viruses too and has been vital in learning lessons around infection control. It also clearly shows that the protection of the most vulnerable in society needs to involve not just health authorities but the community too.”
Hourglass (Safer Ageing) calls on the SNP leadership contenders to support safer ageing
Hourglass has asked the three contenders for the Scottish National Party leadership to commit to safer ageing and to support older victim-survivors of abuse.
Older people are at risk of becoming victims of physical, financial, sexual or psychological abuse. Many others suffer abuse due to simple neglect. Older people are much less likely to report abuse and when they do the experience can be traumatic.
At present, insufficient data is collected on abuse of older people in Scotland. This lack of information is one reason this issue does not get the attention or resources it desperately needs.
Hourglass have called on the three leadership contenders Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf to commit to the following actions if they become the Scottish First Minister:
1. Collecting all relevant data on the abuse of older people. 2. Develop a safer ageing strategy for Scotland 3. Host a Safer Ageing forum with Hourglass at Holyrood later this year.
Richard Robinson, CEO of Hourglass said:“The Scottish Government need to take action to prevent abuse of older people.
“The first step is to collect the data on reported abuse. The second is to develop a safer ageing strategy which will outline how the Scottish Government intend to tackle this problem. Thirdly, this is an issue that is seldom talked about. We need the Scottish Government to work with us to raise awareness of this issue.
“Hourglass (Safer Ageing) is the only charity in Scotland that specialises in supporting older victims of abuse. We have nearly 30 years of working in Scotland and throughout the UK and Ireland, where we have continued to see an increase in demand for our services.”
George Foulkes, Hourglass Patron said:“We have an ageing population and the next First Minister of Scotland needs to be to take this seriously.
“The Scottish Government need a safer ageing strategy to protect older people from abuse and neglect.”
The charity is urging those keen to support the charity to make a donation by visiting https://wearehourglass.org/donate or Text SAFER to 70460 to donate £10.
Texts cost £10 plus one standard rate message and you’ll be opting in to hear more about our work and fundraising via telephone and SMS.
If you’d like to give £10 but do not wish to receive marketing communications text SAFERNOINFO to 70460.
A year ago on Friday P&O Ferries made nearly 800 workers redundant with only half an hour’s notice.Experienced sailors with an average of 20 years on the job were replaced with inexperienced and poorly paid agency staff.
But for all the strong words from ministers, 12 months later British workers are more vulnerable than ever.
P&O Ferries was able to get away with its actions because weak UK employment meant any sanctions would be outweighed by the savings they could make on their wage bill.
We know this because the chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite openly admitted P&O Ferries had broken the law when questioned by MPs.
The government promised swift action to prevent a scandal like P&O Ferries occurring again.
But the Insolvency Service declined to pursue criminal charges for P&O Ferries’ failure to inform the authorities of its plans in time. It also hasn’t sought to disqualify P&O Ferries’ directors.
Ministers have done little to close the legal loopholes P&O Ferries exploited
The Seafarer’s Wages Bill is intended to ensure that all vessels that dock at UK ports a minimum of 120 times a year have to pay at least National Minimum Wage equivalent. This gives a lot of scope for employers to avoid it.
On top of that, the surcharges imposed on operators who fail to pay NMWe are determined by port authorities. These might be the same companies that operate the ferries; and if not they will be motivated to set the charges low to secure business from ferry operators.
In either case there is ample potential for charges to be set so low that it is economical for operators to pay well below the NMWe and pay the surcharges as the cost of doing business.
Laws intended to force employers to consult with workers, inform state authorities of their plans and do proper health and safety checks have been left untouched.
The right to strike is under attack
Not only have ministers failed to prevent another P&O Ferries, they have gone out of their way to undermine workers rights and leave them more vulnerable.
The government is rushing through legislation that could impose minimum service levels if workers in transport workers, teachers, nurses, border force, fire and ambulance services and in nuclear decommissioning take industrial action. This is a draconian attack on the right to strike.
It has already been condemned by trade unions across the world and criticised by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Rest assured if the government succeeds, it wont stop there: more and more workers will find their democratic right drastically undermined.
The government that swept to power promising to enshrine workers rights in law has done little but undermine them.
It’s been a year since the P&O Ferries sackings, but nothing has been done to stop another one.
ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY – NEW REPORT: Another P&O Ferries style scandal could be on the cards because of ministers’ failure to boost worker protections and close legal loopholes, TUC warns
Ministers borrowing from the P&O Ferries’ playbook by attacking the right to strike and threatening to rip up hard-won workers’ rights, says union body
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak to speak at RMT rally today in Hull to mark the one-year anniversary
The Conservative government has given rogue employers a “free pass to act with impunity” after the P&O Ferries scandal – the TUC has warned, referring to the unlawful mass sacking of 800 seafarers a year ago today (Friday).
The warning comes as the TUC publishes a new report which reveals that of the four ways P&O Ferries broke the law, the government has failed to act on every single breach – both failing to punish the company and to strengthen worker protections.
The TUC says P&O Ferries also exploited loopholes in minimum wage law, which the government has failed to close – despite the introduction of the Seafarers Bill.
The union body warns that without government action, another P&O Ferries-style scandal could be on the cards.
Flagrant law-breaking
The TUC sets out four breaches of law by P&O Ferries which have gone unpunished:
The duty to consult when making collective redundancies: P&O Ferries knowingly broke the law because they could price in the low cost of the financial penalties. Following the P&O Ferries scandal, the TUC called on the government to increase protective awards and sanctions to a level that would ensure employers are deterred from brazenly flouting the law. The government did nothing.
Unfair dismissal of workers: Since the P&O Ferries sackings the government has taken no action to strengthen unfair dismissal protections. Ministers have launched a consultation on a draft statutory code of practice that would apply in similar situations. But even when the statutory code is in place an employer would only face a 25 per cent increase in financial sanctions, if they flouted the law – the TUC says this won’t stop rogue employers from breaking the law.
Failure to notify the relevant government authorities: P&O Ferries failed to notify the correct state authorities. This meant a jobs rescue bid couldn’t be launched. Following the P&O Ferries scandal the government has failed act, meaning that any employer making large scale redundancies can price in the likely sanction for failing to notify the authorities.
Breach of Director duties: P&O Ferries’ directors admitted deliberately breaching the law – and the TUC believes that the directors breached their fiduciary duties. The Insolvency Services is responsible for the initiation of director disqualification proceedings but despite serious acts of misconduct, no action has been taken against the P&O Ferries’ directors. The government has also failed to take action to deter other directors behaving like this in the future.
The TUC adds that the government inadequately acted after P&O Ferries bypassed the law by exploiting loopholes in minimum wage legislation.
The new Seafarers Bill widens the scope of the minimum wage, which currently has very limited application to seafarers.
However, the TUC warns there are gaping loopholes in the Bill, including requiring ships to make a certain number of UK stops to fall within the law, meaning that employers whose ships don’t reach a required threshold of using UK ports a certain number of times could still dodge it.
According to the union body, when the replacement crew were first introduced after the mass sacking, P&O Ferries breached international safety standards by failing to ensure that the replacement crew were properly acquainted with safety procedures.
Maritime inspectors listed an unprecedented 31 separate failings on a P&O Ferries vessel detained last year, ranging from problems with fire safety to lifeboat drills.
Failing working people
The TUC has accused the government of “failing working people” following the P&O Ferries dismissals.
The mass sacking was a national scandal, which provoked serious uproar at the time from politicians across the political spectrum – including government ministers.
Then business secretary Grant Shapps stated that “where new laws are needed, we will create them, that where legal loopholes are cynically exploited, we will close them, and that where employment rights are too weak, we will strengthen them.”
Paul Scully, then business secretary, conceded that unlimited fines would be in stopping another P&O Ferries-style scandal.
The TUC says promised sanctions failed to materialise – adding the government did not rigorously pursue P&O Ferries or change the law to prevent future conduct similar to the company’s actions.
Pete Hebblethwaite, P&O Ferries CEO, faced calls for the sack by senior government ministers – but one year on since the mass sacking, Hebbelthwaite remains in post.
The TUC says ministers are rewarding P&O Ferries for its law breaking with government contracts.
The company has lucrative deals including with the Ministry of Defence, and new freeports have been awarded to DP World and P&O Ferries – despite Grant Shapps pledging to review all their government contracts since March 2022.
Urgent action needed
The TUC says that urgent action is needed to clamp down on fire and rehire style practices and make sure another P&O Ferries-style scandal is never allowed to happen again.
The union body is calling on government to:
Increase sanctions on employers who deliberately breach the law to provide a proper deterrent
Introduce fair pay agreements to help lift wages and prevent a race to the bottom, starting in low-paid industries, including ferries
Give workers protection from unfair dismissal from day one in the job
Ensure employers are required to reinstate workers where employers breach consultative duties
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “The mass sacking by P&O Ferries was a national scandal. It should have marked a new chapter for employment rights in the UK.
“But this Conservative government has failed working people and given rogue employers a free pass to act with impunity.
“Despite behaving like corporate gangsters, P&O Ferries has been allowed to get away scot-free because of our lax labour laws.
“Instead of boosting worker protections and closing legal loopholes, ministers sat on their hands and did next to nothing.
“And to add insult to injury, ministers are now actively borrowing from the P&O Ferries playbook.
“They are brazenly attacking the right to strike and threatening to rip up hard-won workers’ rights like holiday pay, equal pay for women and men and rest breaks.
“Workers need more power in the workplace, not less. It’s time for the government to put in place proper protections for workers who are at the mercy of bad bosses. That starts with a fair pay agreement for the ferry sector.
“Make no mistake. Without stronger regulation, another P&O Ferries style scandal is on the cards.”
Neil Todd, a senior trade union lawyer at Thompsons Solicitors, who acted on behalf of the RMT union at the time, said: “P&O Ferries took the callous business decision that sacking its staff unlawfully – despite the financial penalties and public backlash it would cause – was more convenient and cheaper than engaging in meaningful consultation and complying with legal obligations.
“What message does it send to unscrupulous employers if P&O Ferries can get away with paying out what are to them small sums and carry on trading? P&O Ferries should have been a pivotal moment in recognising UK employment law does not go far enough to protect working people, but nothing has changed and three Conservative Prime Ministers later it is clear this is not a priority for any Conservative government.
“The financial penalties for sacking staff without notice and without any meaningful consultation need to be strengthened and there needs to be legislation that would more easily allow employees to take pre-emptive legal action before any dismissals take effect. It is only these sorts of changes which will ensure no company is emboldened ‘to do another P&O’.”
A nurse and her daughter who work at the same hospital have both told how they love being part of the NHS family – and how proud they are of each other for the work they do.
Geraldine Sparkes is lead nurse for the Acute Medical Unit and Medical Assessment Unit at the Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) in Paisley, and 18-year-old Gemma is a Health Care Support Worker on Ward 10.
They live together in Paisley with dad Trevor and nine-year-old daughter Mirren, and the whole family is spending Mother’s Day together.
The pair travel together to work every morning – stopping on the way for a coffee that’s “totally essential” according to Gemma – but because of Gemma’s shifts it’s quite unusual for them to get time off together, and Geraldine is really excited because of that.
“We’re all going out for a steak dinner, and I’m looking forward to spending the day together. I think it will be really special.”
What Geraldine doesn’t know is that Gemma “sweet-talked her boss” to be able to spend time with her mum. “It’s great that we’ll all be able to celebrate Mother’s Day together this year. I’ve got a few wee bits for mum, and Mirren loves arts and crafts so she’s been doing lots. I think it will be a lovely day.”
Geraldine, 38, has only been a nurse for eight years, after deciding to change career to care for patients. She juggled her training with her day job, as well as doing bank shifts to get additional experience, and she is now passionate about the NHS, the RAH and being a nurse.
She said: “There’s no denying that nursing has its challenges just now, but I feel so strongly that it’s a wonderful job. There are so many different roles in the NHS that once you’re part of the NHS family the world’s really your oyster.
“I’d encourage any young person to come and work with us – and especially at the RAH! Working locally is great – we really feel part of the community, and to be supporting neighbours and friends is the best feeling.”
But it’s when she starts speaking about Gemma that her pride really shows.
“I’m so proud of her. She’s been working since she was 16 and has a great work ethic. It’s great to see her in a full-time job, and hopefully it will be the start of a great career for her.
“When she first started at the hospital she was quite apprehensive, but she’s hit the ground running and I’ve been told she’s doing really well and has a great way with patients and relatives.”
Gemma has only been a HCSW since November, but she’s loving her time at the RAH. “It’s a great place to work,” she said. “I really feel like a part of the team. Everyone is so helpful – and not just the people at my grade but everyone, right up to the managers.
“I love working here and I’m really proud of the NHS. I’m always telling my friends to go for it, that working here is really worth it.”
But she admits working with her mum has taken her a bit by surprise. “It’s really weird! At home she’s my mum, but I see a completely different side of her when she’s working. She’s so committed and professional – she takes the care of her patients so seriously.
“In fact I’m really proud of her.”
Geraldine feels very lucky to be sharing today with her family, and she has one final message.
“Happy Mother’s Day to all mums today – and special thanks to my colleagues at the RAH who are on duty caring for our patients, or any other mums who are working. You’re all doing an amazing job.”
A new system that will give the Government and emergency services the capability to send an alert directly to mobiles phones when there is a risk to life has been launched today.
UK-wide Emergency Alerts service launched and in operation from today
System will bolster the UK’s resilience and provides the capability to send alerts direct to mobile phones when there is a risk to life
UK-wide test to take place on Sunday 23 April
Working with mobile broadcasting technology, the Emergency Alerts system will transform the UK’s warning and informing capability; providing a means to get urgent messages quickly to nearly 90 percent of mobile phones in a defined area; providing clear instructions about how best to respond.
The system is now ready to be tested across the country following successful tests in East Suffolk and Reading, as the Government continues to strengthen its resilience capability, making sure it offers the best possible protection against an ever-evolving range of threats.
A UK-wide alerts test will take place in the early evening of Sunday 23 April which will see people receive a test message on their mobile phones.
The alerts will only ever come from the Government or emergency services, and they will issue a warning, always include the details of the area impacted, and provide instructions about how best to respond – linking to gov.uk/alerts where people can receive further information.
Emergency Alerts will be used very rarely – only being sent where there is an immediate risk to people’s lives – so people may not receive an alert for months, or even years.
The service has already been used successfully in a number of other countries, including the US, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan, where it has been widely credited with saving lives, for example, during severe weather events. In the UK, alerts could be used to tell residents of villages being encroached by wildfires, or of severe flooding.
Announcing the launch of the new alerts system, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden MP, said: “We are strengthening our national resilience with a new emergency alerts system, to deal with a wide range of threats – from flooding to wild fires.
“It will revolutionise our ability to warn and inform people who are in immediate danger, and help us keep people safe. As we’ve seen in the U.S. and elsewhere, the buzz of a phone can save a life.”
Emergency Alerts will be used across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and their initial use will focus on the most serious severe weather-related incidents, including severe flooding in England.
The Government has been working closely with a range of stakeholders and partners across the UK on developing the system, including colleagues from the emergency services, transport groups and the Environment Agency.
Scotland’s Justice Secretary and lead Minister for resilience Keith Brown said: “This new service builds on the arrangements we already have in place with responders and other key organisations in Scotland to keep people safe during emergencies and save lives.
“The system has already been used successfully overseas in other countries including New Zealand, the Netherlands, Japan and the USA where it has been credited with saving lives during severe weather events and earthquakes.
“During rare events where there is an imminent risk to life, alerts can be sent direct to people’s mobile phones with clear instructions explaining what action to take and how to seek help.”
Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, Mark Hardingham, said: “Together with every fire and rescue service in the country, I’m looking forward to having Emergency Alerts available to help us to do our jobs and to help communities in the event of emergencies.
“We’ve seen this type of system in action elsewhere across the world and we look forward to having the facility here in the UK – by working together with fire services and partners we want this system to help us to help you be as safe as you can if a crisis does hit.”
Executive Director for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management at the Environment Agency, Caroline Douglass, commented: “Being able to communicate warnings in a timely and accurate manner during incidents is really important to help people take action to protect themselves, their families, and their neighbours.
“This year is the 70th anniversary of the 1953 east coast surge, one of the worst flood events in our recent history which saw over 300 people perish in England – while our ability to warn and inform has come on leaps and bounds since then, Emergency Alerts is a fantastic addition to our toolbox that we can use in emergency situations.”
By broadcasting from cell towers in the vicinity of an emergency, the alerts are secure, free to receive, and one-way. They do not reveal anyone’s location or collect personal data.
Alerts can only be sent by authorised Governmental and Emergency Services users. Successful live tests of the service have already taken place in East Suffolk and Reading.
