A LEADING cruise company withdrew plans to “fire and rehire” 919 workers following urgent talks with maritime union Nautilus International today.

Carnival UK, owner of P&O Cruises and Cunard, faced fierce criticism after it notified authorities of plans to dismiss crew and rehire them one day after beginning talks with union members. 

Nautilus said it received a copy of the HR1 form that Carnival UK sent to the Insolvency Service which stated “dismissal and re-engagement may be considered if agreement cannot be reached on new terms” on Wednesday evening.

Staff working across 10 vessels, including the Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mary 2, would have been affected, but following urgent discussions with the union the company today agreed to withdraw the threat.

“[They] can now categorically confirm that this will be the case,” the union said.

Nautilus executive officer Martyn Gray thanked the company for its “positive indication of their commitment to engage in a meaningful consultation with us over changes to members’ terms and conditions.”

He said however that fire and rehire should be banned as a “statutory code of practice is not enough.”

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “It’s clear that the law needs to change to take the shameful practice of fire and rehire off the table.

“And it shows why we urgently need Labour’s New Deal for Working People to stop workers from being treated like disposable labour.”

Shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said that it was “scandalous” the Tories “allow this shameful practice to continue.

“Labour will end the scourge of fire and rehire by ending the practice once and for all.”

Legally, employers planning to make 20 or more staff redundant within any 90-day period must first consult staff and speak to trade union representatives.

The company and union said in a joint statement: “Nautilus International and Carnival UK are able to confirm, following joint discussions held this afternoon, that both parties are committed to engaging in meaningful consultation in finding a way forward following the start of consultation on proposed contractual changes for 919 maritime professionals.”

In 2022, P&O Ferries was separately embroiled in a dispute over the sacking of 800 of its workers without notice by its owner DP World.

The firm replaced them with foreign agency workers who were paid less than the minimum wage before admitting that the sackings were illegal.