Under-fire ferry operator P&O could today be thrown off a high-powered team working up plans to make Cairnryan a green freeport.
The sanction – drafted by council leader Elaine Murray and depute Rob Davidson – would see the company stripped of its role in the bid.
Councillors will consider the proposal at today’s session of the full council in Dumfries.
The radical move comes after the ferry firm’s parent company, Dubai-based DP World, sacked 800 British seafarers from its vessels with zero notice and replaced them with cheap foreign agency labour.
The action provoked widespread condemnation and DP World has refused to change tack.
The councillors’ motion states the company has “no place” in the freeport bid, which is founded on fair work practices, and “resolves to exclude” P&O and its parent company from the process.
Speaking ahead of today’s meeting, council leader Elaine Murray told the News: “The actions of P&O are disgraceful and intolerable.
“We certainly will be moving a motion to chuck them off the green freeport bid.
“At the moment they are part of the agreement and the team working on the green freeport.
“If the council agrees, they will be ejected from the green freeport bid.
“There is no place for P&O and its parent company DP World in the working group in my view.
“However, that will be a decision for full council. I’m not anticipating that there will be any objection.”
P&O sailed into a storm of protest when it made its entire British seafaring staff redundant.
Questions over the legality of the action persist and P&O’s Cairnryan to Larne service remains suspended.
The company stated on Twitter: “It is no longer possible for us to arrange travel via an alternative operator on this route.
“For essential travel customers are advised to seek alternatives themselves.”
Sacked workers held a protest demonstration at Cairnryan last week.
Depute council leader Rob Davidson told the News: “We can choose who we will be working with on the green freeport.
“If they are resolved to carry on with this I hope the council will decide that they can’t be part of our South-West Euro Gateway group.”
He added: “This is an absolutely shameful way to treat people.
“It is difficult to come up with terms sufficiently strong to convey what a disgrace this is.
“It is a shockingly black day for labour relations in this country.
“I think in the main people would be forgiven for thinking that this kind of reprehensible action was a thing of the past.”
Scottish east and west coast ports are competing for freeport designations under a post-Brexit deal struck between Scottish and UK ministers.
P&O was asked for comment.
