Source: BCC; Reuters; SKYNews
Date: 21st August 2022
More than 1,900 workers at Britain’s biggest container port are due on Sunday to start eight days of strike action which their union and shipping companies warn could seriously affect trade and supply chains.
The staff at Felixstowe, on the east coast of England, are taking industrial action in a dispute over pay, becoming the latest workers to strike in Britain as unions demand higher wages for members facing a cost-of-living crisis.
Strike action will cause huge disruption and will generate massive shockwaves throughout the UK’s supply chain.
On Friday, Felixstowe’s operator Hutchison Ports offered a pay rise and a lump sum. It said the port’s workers union, which represents about 500 staff in supervisory, engineering and clerical roles, had accepted the deal.
Unite, which represents mainly dock workers, says the proposal is significantly below the current inflation rate, and followed a below inflation increase last year.
“The port regrets the impact this action will have on UK supply chains,” a Hutchison Ports spokesperson said.
The port said it would have a contingency plan in place, and was working to minimise disruption during the walkouts which will last until Aug. 29.
One of the world’s biggest container shippers has warned the action would have a significant impact, causing operational delays and forcing it to make changes to its vessel line-up.