The boss of P&O Ferries has hit back at government calls to reinstate the 800 workers laid off, insisting a U-turn would cause the company to collapse.
Peter Hebblethwaite said reversing the cuts, which the company has not consulted unions on, would result in the loss of a further 2,200 jobs.
It comes after Transport Secretary gave P&O “one last chance” to reinstate employees on their previous wages.
He said the company “has painstakingly reviewed all possible alternatives.”
In a letter of reply to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, Mr Hebblethwaite said more than 500 of the laid-off crew members had accepted and signed settlement agreements and that he could not change the March 31 deadline for seafarers to accept their offers of redundancy.
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