Walkout threat at biggest container port

BRITAIN’S largest container port could be brought to a standstill after workers backed strikes.

If Felixstowe is impacted and goods cannot be offloaded it is likely that shop shelves will be left empty across the country.

Members of the Unite union voted 92 per cent in favour of industrial action after rejecting a below-inflation wage rise of 5 per cent. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said of the port’s Hong Kong-based owners CK Hutchison: ‘The bottom line is this is an extremely wealthy company that can fully afford to give its workers a pay rise.

‘Instead it chose to give bonanza pay outs to shareholders touching £100million.’ Strikes would cause major logistical problems given that Felixstowe is responsible for 48 per cent of the UK’s container trade.

Disruption at the port before Christmas caused by a logjam of container ships led to shortages of products from white goods to toys and clothes.

Unite will meet conciliation service Acas next week and has not decided on a date for any action.