P&O bosses have been forced to reverse an attempt to pay their new agency workers even less money, a month on from firing 800 workers for cheaper European staff.
It comes after the RMT Union received reports of agency workers at Dover being asked to sign new contracts with lower pay, in a move that echoes the controversial fire and rehire practice.
P&O Ferries sacked almost 800 employees last month and brought in cheaper agency workers, arguing the move was to help keep the multi-billion business afloat.
However, the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) said the firm was now "trying to bring in an exploitative model, with the lowest possible standards they can get away with".
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In an email seen by the Sunday Mirror, a Romanian chef claimed agency crew are being pressured to sign new terms.
He said: “They don’t care about rights. This is my sixth day working without contract, please help us. They try to give us less money.
“We are desperate.”
One seafarer contacted the RMT told the union claiming that they were being forced to work without contracts, after old ones had expired.
The worker claimed documents had also been lost by P&O.
The worker wrote in their email to the union: "This is my sixth day working without a contract, please help us!"
The union reported P&O Ferries to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which ensured the new workers retained their original wages.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said it was "good P&O have reversed [the] further attempt at a pay cut", but added that "they must go much further and pay the minimum wage like all UK businesses".
"We will legislate to force them, but they could win back some much needed credibility by acting now," he said.
On Friday, the Spirit of Britain was cleared to resume sailing after inspections by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. It had been held at the port since 12 April due to a number of unspecified deficiencies, according to the regulator.
The operator is due to resume sailings between Dover, UK and Calais, France on Tuesday.
On Friday, the RMT went aboard the Spirit of Britain to speak with seafarers after being previously refused access.
National secretary Darren Proctor, who was on the visit, said P&O Ferries initially did not want to let them on, instead offering the use of a meeting room in the port. The RMT declined, quoting the ISPS Code, which is a set of measures designed to strengthen the security of ships and port facilities.
Mr Proctor said P&O Ferries had "brought people in on a month contract, some on two-month contracts" and then told them that they have to accept lower pay rates if they want to stay on.
"Others are coming in on four-month contracts on lower pay. P&O is undermining safety and creating a lowest possible denominator in ferry standards," he said.
The union complained to the Maritime and Coastguard Authority (MCA) who took action and affected seafarers' contracts were amended with their original wages reinstated.
RMT said that P&O was "desperate to keep these new crew on board because they've been on board for four weeks now and these crews were beginning to have familiarity with the vessels. They need familiarity to get them sailing again."
Last month, P&O Ferries boss Peter Hebblethwaite admitted that the firm’s decision to fire 800 workers last month was in breach of the law.
He said there was "absolutely no doubt" that under UK employment law the firm was required to consult unions before making the mass cuts.
However, he said no union would have accepted the plan and it was easier to compensate workers "in full" instead.
The P&O boss also said he would make the same decision again if he had to.
Mr Shapps has said he wanted to see British ports refusing access to ferry companies "who don't pay a fair wage".
He said the government would consult on the changes needed to make it a legal requirement, but urged ports to take action "as soon as practical".
A P&O spokesman told the Mirror this morning: “No agency seafarers were asked to accept reduced wages and we have contacted the MCA to request that they withdraw their statement, which is misleading.
"There was an administrative misunderstanding around the contract presented to one individual who appears to have been unaware of an appendix which made clear that he would be entitled to an additional £195 a month, meaning that there was no change in his overall pay.
"There are no plans to change or reduce the wages of any of our agency seafarers and we have made clear that we will continue to comply fully with any national minimum wage obligations introduced by the UK Government."
