Shipping chaos looms as workers back strike in UK’S busiest port

FREIGHT shipments across Britain are on the brink of severe disruption after workers voted to strike over pay at the country’s busiest container port.

Unite members at Felixstowe, which is responsible for nearly half of the UK’S container trade, have voted to walk out next month. Workers were offered a 5pc pay rise, which is 4.4 percentage points below inflation and nearly 7 percentage points lower than the retail prices index measure that Unite describes as the “real” rate of price increases.

The union said: “Strike action would bring Felixstowe to a standstill and would cause major logistical problems for maritime and road haulage transport entering the port.” A strike at the port, in Suffolk, would threaten to cause major disruption in the early stages of “peak season”, the period in the second half of the year when importers are gearing up for Christmas.

Last year, huge disruption to the shipping industry caused by the pandemic led to shortages of many products including children’s toys.

Miles Hubbard, Unite regional officer, said: “Strike action at Felixstowe will inevitably create huge disruption across the UK’S supply chain.”

The planned strikes, for which dates have not been announced, adds to a wave of walkouts – chiefly over pay – that have already caused severe disruptions in Britain’s transport sector and several other industries.

Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company’s

accounts show a pre-tax profit of £61m in 2020, and £99m of dividends. Sharon Graham, Unite’s general secretary, said: “This is an extremely wealthy company that can fully afford to give its workers a pay rise.”

A Port of Felixstowe spokesman said: “The company made what we believe to be a very fair offer and we are disappointed with the result of the ballot.

The union has agreed to our request to meet with Acas next week and we hope that industrial action can be avoided.”

Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company is owned by Hutchison Ports, part of the Hong Kong-listed conglomerate CK Hutchison.

Unite said earlier this month that it was also balloting dockworkers in Liverpool over possible strike action.