howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
the top honcho, a mr robin wilkins announced today that 725 jobs are to go leaving a workforce of 850.
fortunately for us the losses will be in france.
seems likely to happen next month after final discussions with the unions.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
sad news howard,but i think there is a few job losses this side as well.it will be a big shame if the company folds all together as there ships are more pleasant and user friendly as well.thats compared to p&o.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
apparently none going in this country brian, he never said how this would affect services.
there must be fewer sailings i would have thought.
i prefer p & o myself, their ferries are not as well appointed as sea france, but i like the service better from the british(dubai) company.
I seem to remember it was only a couple of months ago that the crews were on strike over 'new working' practices.
I don't know how conditions of service compared with the other carrying companies but historically Sea France always had a bit of a reputation for regular curtailment of service due to industrial action.
At least the job losses should not affect Dover (although how they propose to work the same number of crossing with over a 45% reduction in staff is anyone's guess).
Possibly a warning for B.A. employees here?
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
howard,it deepends on a couple of things,1,if you smoke seafrance deck 7 outside p&o deck 9 lots of stairs not good if your disabled or unsteady on your legs.2,a full english breafast dosent include chips/freanch fries as p&o thinksit does.
Guest 658- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 660
Brian seafrance is dead in the water its only a matter of time before stena of ld buy them out. Check out who gets the bulk of the freight traffic, that's the bread and butter trade for the ferries.
beer the food of the gods
When my boat had problems in France I came back LD Lines and was impressed with the service. The problem with them is that they don't take foot passengers so I had to find some friendly English faces and get a lift back in their car.
Whilst realising that footies are not the main source of income for the ferries, they do a lot for the economy of the ports. It's a shame that Dover Chamber of Commerce and their Boulogne equivalent can't get LD to take them. It would save me the hassle of taking my folding bike backwards and forwards!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
funny you should say that about ld lines bob, during the volcanic ash fiaso, people were purchasing bicycles in calais and boulogne, boarding the ferry as a cyclist then dumping them upon arrival here.
footies are still loved by p and o who regularly advertise for them offering fares as low as a quid.
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
Can we expect Calais to be blockaded over this? I wouldn't bet against it.
P&O for me. Regular service with good food. Service used to be a lot better though, still better than the sullen French staff on Seafrance.
True friends stab you in the front.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
like andy i find the service on p and o much friendlier and efficient.
last time i went on sea france fancied a french baguette, no chance, the only choice was sandwiches that looked dead and pitta bread filled with curried tuna.
the tables were never cleared either.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
strange that howard i found the opisite,clean tables,and pleanty of baguettes and friendly staff,unlike p&o.who i found rude and unacomidating.
You pays your money and you takes your choice.