The sacking by P&O of 800 seafarers without notice or consultation is a stark illustration of what happens when the workplace is deregulated and employees’ rights are no longer protected

Employment rights matter. Work is where many of us spend a large proportion of our time. It is often the focus of our aspirations to participate in something worthwhile, whether that is delivering a good service or building useful things. It is where we cooperate with others and contribute to a common end. We can all see that not only is it wrong for a company to sack 800 of its staff without warning, but that it is scandalous for employers to be able to behave in such an egregious way. The episode is a stark illustration of what happens when employment rights are not protected.

The failure of current employment legislation to prevent P&O Ferries from acting as it did last week is only one of the many ways in which the UK labour market no longer protects the dignity and rights of workers. The gap between the salaries paid to those at the bottom and those at the top is widening, and the erosion of effective employment rights particularly affects marginalised and low-paid workers. Rising casualisation – the shift from full-time and permanent jobs to casual work – blights many sectors of the economy: maritime and shipping is one of the most glaring examples, but there are many others, including the delivery sector, where the “gig” economy is the norm.