Eight days of strike action commence at UK’s biggest port

Around 1,900 members of Unite will walk out at Felixstowe in a dispute over pay

Members of the Unite union on a picket line at one of the entrances to the Port of Felixstowe (PA)

An eight-day workers’ strike at the UK’s biggest container port begins on Sunday. Around 1,900 members of Unite who work at the Port of Felixstowe will walk out in a dispute over pay, in the first strike at the port since 1989.

It is the latest episode in an outbreak of industrial action that is affecting a growing number of sectors. Workers including crane drivers, machine operators and stevedores are taking action after voting by more than 9-1 in favour of strikes.

The union said the stoppage would have a big impact on the port, which handles around 4 million containers a year from 2,000 ships. But a port source said the strikes would be an “inconvenience, not a catastrophe”, claiming that the supply chain was now accustomed to disruption following the pandemic.

“Disruption is the new normal. The supply chain has moved from ‘just in time’ to ‘just in case’,” he added. He also suggested that some suppliers of white goods, such as fridge-freezers, might actually welcome a break because of slower sales resulting from the cost of living crisis.

The port provides secure and well-paid employment, and there will be no winners from this unnecessary industrial action

Port of Felixstowe statement

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Felixstowe docks is enormously profitable. The latest figures show that in 2020 it made £61m in profits. Its parent company, CK Hutchison Holding Ltd, is so wealthy that, in the same year, it handed out £99m to its shareholders.

“So they can give Felixstowe workers a decent pay raise. It’s clear both companies have prioritised delivering multimillion-pound profits and dividends rather than paying their workers a decent wage.

“Unite is entirely focused on enhancing its members’ jobs, pay and conditions, and it will be giving the workers at Felixstowe its complete support until this dispute is resolved and a decent pay increase is secured.”

Felixstowe handles around 4 million containers a year from 2,000 ships (PA)

The Port of Felixstowe said in a statement: “The company is disappointed that Unite has not taken up our offer to call off the strike and come to the table for constructive discussions to find a resolution.

“We recognise these are difficult times but, in a slowing economy, we believe that the company’s offer, worth over 8 per cent on average in the current year and closer to 10 per cent for lower-paid workers, is fair.

“Unite has failed our employees by not consulting them on the offer and, as a result, they have been put in a position where they will lose pay by going on strike.

“The port regrets the impact this action will have on UK supply chains. We are grateful for the support we have had from our customers and are working with them to mitigate disruption.

“The port provides secure and well-paid employment and there will be no winners from this unnecessary industrial action.”

Unite national officer Robert Morton said businesses affected by the strike action at Felixstowe should get in contact with the port’s parent company and urge them to return to the negotiating table.

The union official told BBC Breakfast: “Don’t blame us for the action that’s being taken, blame Hutchison ports for the actions they’ve taken in putting 7 per cent on the table and saying that we will meet you again but our position will not change.

“I would urge those companies to get in touch with the port employer and try to move them. That way the supply chain will be opened up and everyone will be happy.”

Felixstowe handles nearly half of the containerised freight entering the UK, and the action could mean vessels have to be diverted to ports elsewhere in the UK or Europe.

The company added: “The Port of Felixstowe staff union, representing approximately 500 positions, has voted to accept the same pay offer that Unite has refused to put to its members.

“We thank staff members for their support and once again urge Unite to suspend the strike planned for August 21 and put the same offer, which, with other benefits, is worth between 8.1 per cent and 9.6 per cent this year, to their hourly paid members.”