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French MPs are pushing for a new law that would give workers on ferries between England and France a minimum wage.

Didier Le Gac and Aurore Berg茅, from the Renaissance party, put forward the aimed at ending what they call 鈥渟ocial dumping鈥� on ferry routes crossing the English Channel.

It is also co-signed by a long list of other MPs in favour of the proposals.

It comes after ferry operator P&O sacked almost 800 British workers in March 2022, without notice, and replaced them with agency workers from outside of the EU who were paid less than the minimum wage.

Read more: French union calls for government action over P&O sackings

Read more: P&O sacks 800 UK crew saying action was needed to remain 鈥榲iable鈥�

The company did not face criminal charges after the UK Insolvency Service said that it would 鈥渘ot commence criminal proceedings鈥�after a full and robust criminal investigation into the circumstances鈥�.

The proposed bill鈥檚 text said the incident 鈥渋llustrates the risk of the worsening of social and working conditions of sea workers鈥�.

It added that the 鈥減olitical scandal鈥� that erupted after the mass redundancy had led the UK government to consider a legal proposal that would require all workers to be paid the UK minimum wage.

Read more: France urged to follow as UK launches ferry fair pay law after P&O row

Read more: New P&O ferry crew workers earn 拢1.81 per hour, UK union claims

The proposal states that a new 鈥減olicing law鈥� would 鈥渆nsure that passenger transport on international scheduled services is carried out under sustainable social conditions鈥�.

These conditions would 鈥済uarantee the rights of employees鈥� and ensure 鈥渇air conditions of competition between companies in the sector鈥�.

It said that the passenger transport sector was particularly sensitive to wage costs, due to the large maritime workforce that it employs.

The text continues: 鈥淯ntil recently, the employees of these services in French ports were still largely employed at standards comparable to French or British standards. The P&O case has introduced鈥�seafarers employed under social conditions in low labour cost countries.鈥�

This introduces, it said 鈥渁 socially worsened model that is incompatible with fair competition and worker protection鈥�.

It said that P&O鈥檚 actions would lead to lower wages for maritime workers in general, and was a threat to fair competition laws in the sector, 鈥渨ith companies paying their employees fairly being penalised鈥�.

The proposal clearly calls for the introduction of a 鈥減ayment of a minimum hourly wage below which employees working on board ships operating cross-Channel services may not be paid鈥�.

This would, it said, 鈥減rotect workers鈥�and preserve fair competition鈥�.

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