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French MPs have voted in favour of a law that aims to stop cross-Channel ferry companies from employing low-cost labour.

It is a direct response to P&O Ferries firing 800 staff last year and replacing them with cheaper agency staff.

The RMT union claimed the replacements were being paid 拢1.80 (鈧�2.04) an hour, although P&O disputes this.

France calls this practice 鈥渟ocial dumping鈥�.

Finist猫re MP Didier Le Gac, Aurore Berg茅 (MP for Yvelines) and S茅bastien Jumel (MP for Seine-Maritime) proposed the new law, which was adopted by France鈥檚 parliament on Tuesday (March 28).

鈥淔or the purposes of protecting workers through the payment of a decent wage and the preservation of fair competition, it is proposed by this [law] to establish the payment of a minimum hourly wage below which workers cannot be remunerated,鈥� according to the text accompanying the legislation.

It went on to say that the P&O case 鈥渋llustrated the risk of the worsening of social and working conditions for ship workers, which has been criticised many times in France鈥�.

MPs also argued that P&O鈥檚 actions represented an attack on competitiveness in the sector, as other companies are effectively being penalised if they continue to employ staff at higher wages (and therefore need to charge more for tickets or services).

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

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

The legal text said that the 鈥減olitical scandal鈥� provoked by P&O鈥檚 actions had led to a similar law being advanced in the UK, which would also introduce a minimum salary.

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

French MP Herv茅 Berville the law was 鈥渁 decisive step in the fight against 鈥榮ocial dumping鈥欌��. He had called for the 鈥減rotection of the French model鈥� against 鈥渦nscrupulous and scandalous actions of some involved parties鈥�.

MPs also said that P&O Ferries鈥� actions amounted to a non-competitive move at the expense of French firm Brittany Ferries.

The law also gave the government the right to impose administrative sanctions on companies that breach the rules. It also banned companies from admitting any ship worker on board if they do not have a valid first aid certificate.

Mr Le Gac welcomed the result: 鈥淥ften people say that France turns its back on the sea, but this evening we looked at it face on.鈥�

He called the law 鈥渁 first essential step鈥� in 鈥渟aving our ship workers鈥�.

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