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Workers at UK's Biggest Container Port, Felixstowe to Strike for Eight Days

8th August 2022
Strike-action: Workers at the Port of Felixstowe, the UK's biggest container port are to strike later this month. As Afloat reported earlier this year, a 'feeder' containership, Anna G that following lengthy repairs in Dun Laoghaire, sailed to the North Sea port on the Suffolk coast which passed the 100m TEU mark since it handled its first container in the 1960s
Strike-action: Workers at the Port of Felixstowe, the UK's biggest container port are to strike later this month. As Afloat reported earlier this year, a 'feeder' containership, Anna G that following lengthy repairs in Dun Laoghaire, sailed to the North Sea port on the Suffolk coast which passed the 100m TEU mark since it handled its first container in the 1960s Credit: Jehan Ashmore

At the UK's biggest container port in Felixstowe, workers are to strike for eight days in a dispute over pay.

Around 1,900 members of the union, Unite will walk out on 21 August after rejecting a 7% pay offer from Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company.

Unite called the pay offer "significantly below" the rate of inflation.

The announcement comes after a summer of strikes in the transport sector as the cost of living continues to rise.

A Felixstowe port spokesperson said the company was "disappointed" and that it was "determined" to help workers tackle rising costs - whilst continuing to invest in the port.

Unite said eight days of strike action at the port will run from Sunday 21 August ending on Monday 29 August.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Both Felixstowe docks and its parent company CK Hutchison Holding Ltd are both massively profitable and incredibly wealthy.

"They are fully able to pay the workforce a fair day's pay. The company has prioritised delivering multi-million pound dividends rather than paying its workers a decent wage," Ms Graham added.

As BBC News has more on the Port of Felixstowe that handles around half of the UK's containers that are transported via the port.

Afloat adds it is just over a year ago when the English east coast port saw the Ever Given finally arrive after having blocked the Suez Canal that caused major disruption to global shipping and knock on impacts on supply-chains. 

Published in Ports & Shipping
Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals. 

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