Ex P&O Strikers Dover 1988/89

In the spring of 1987 the Dover based Cross Channel Ferry ‘Herald of Free Enterprize’ capsized off the port of Zeebrugge in Belgium. For the Merchant Navy crews of Dover her loss highlighted the failings of working systems that had long been under pressure to trade off the solid foundations of good seamanship practice in favour of ‘quick turn around’s in port’ and crew reduction to save money.  The fears of our messroom conversations had become reality, as we watched the media circus tell the stories of the loss of our friends, families and shipmates, and we knew our working lives would never be the same again.

Less then one year after the Herald was lost the company owners were looking to save money by reducing manning levels on board their ships, which could no longer be countenanced by the workforce on the grounds of safety.  We mourned and honored our lost shipmates and loved ones by making a stand against a company and working systems that had been publicly vilified, and became the political battle site for a government determined to crush the trade union movement within Britain.

 The pages of this website are intended to be used to tell our story to this date and give information on our continuing fight for justice.  It is intended to be a point of contact for those of us who still live in the Dover area with our friends and former shipmates that we have lost contact with over the years, and will hopefully provide information and support for our efforts towards an honorable conclusion to our aggrieved position.