Workers at the UK’s biggest container port will go on strike for more than a week later this month in a dispute over pay.
More than 1,900 members of the Unite union in Felixstowe will go on strike for eight days from Sunday 21 August to Monday 29 August.
The union said employer Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company had failed to improve its offer of a 7% pay rise, following a rise of just 1.4% last year.
Almost half of the UK’s container traffic passes through Felixstowe and Unite said the action would affect supply chains, the logistics and transport sectors, as well as international maritime trade.
It’s the latest round of industrial action by workers who are demanding pay to keep up with the cost of living.
United’s national officer for docks, Bobby Morton, said: “The strike action will cause huge disruption and send massive shock waves across the UK supply chain, but this dispute is entirely about the company itself.
“He has had every opportunity to make our members a fair deal, but he has chosen not to.
“Felixstowe must stop prevaricating and make a pay offer that meets the expectations of our members.”
“Massively profitable and incredibly rich”
United’s general secretary Sharon Graham said both the Felixstowe docks and its Hong Kong-based parent company CK Hutchison are “massively profitable and incredibly rich”, adding: “They are fully capable of pay the workforce a fair day’s wages.
“The company has prioritized delivering multi-million pound dividends over paying its workers a living wage.
“Unite is fully focused on improving the jobs, pay and conditions of its members and will give the workers in Felixstowe their full support until this dispute is resolved and a decent pay rise is achieved.”
There will be more talks on Monday, August 8.
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Both the Department of Transport and the company have been contacted for comment.
Felixstowe welcomes approximately 2,000 ships each year, according to its website, including some of the largest container ships in the world.
Around 17 shipping lines operate from the port, offering 33 services to and from over 700 ports worldwide.