Two years after laying off 786 workers, the ferry business is now paying its staff an average of £5.20 per hour and rehiring less expensive personnel, P&O Ferries Chief Executive Peter Hebblethwaite told the Commons’ Business and Trade Committee.
“Do you think you could live on £4.87 an hour?” committee chair Liam Byrne questioned Mr. Hebblethwaite during the exchange.
In response, Mr. Hebblethwaite said, “No, I couldn’t,” before acknowledging that he made £508,000 last year, with a £183,000 bonus.
The CEO claimed that the rates were “considerably ahead of international minimum standards,” despite the fact that he could not survive on such remuneration.
