Strike to disrupt UK’s largest port next week
Workers disputing pay will go on strike next week at the Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company, with industrial action expected to last from Sunday (21st) through to Monday 29th of August.
Talks between workers and the port company have broken down without a resolution, which will now result in 1,900 workers striking. The port is the UK’s largest and accounts for nearly half (48%) of containers landed and delivered onwards into the UK.
The Unite Union said of the planned strike: “The Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company failed to improve on its offer of a 7% pay increase, which is significantly below the real (RPI) inflation rate of 11.8%. Industrial relations were already strained as workers only received a 1.4 per cent, below inflation, increase last year.”
Unite further accused Felixstowe docks and the parent company CK Hutchison Holding Ltd of prioritising “delivering multi-million pound dividends rather than paying its workers a decent wage.”
In countering, the port company said: “We are disappointed and regret that despite our best efforts we have still been unable to reach an agreement with the hourly branch of Unite. During talks yesterday the port further improved its position offering a £500 lump sum in addition to 7%. The staff branch of Unite and the Police Federation of Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company have agreed to put a similar offer to their members.”
Ports in the UK have ranked among the worst globally for turnaround of goods in the Covid era, with Brexit widely blamed for unprecedented queues of goods and people.
Felixstowe is said to be Europe’s most congested port with dwell time running north of 20 days in Q4 last year. This was blamed largely on a shortage of truck drivers, most unable to work friction free down to Brexit era Visa restrictions, among other factors.
Strike action is widespread in the UK at present, spanning industries such as postal, air, rail and many more sectors. Unions are now on the brink of a synchronised strike as workers battle to keep pay packets in line with soaring inflation and maintain working conditions.
