15.6 C
Hamburg
Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Home Port News Port of Felixstowe workers' walkout comes to an end; fears for further...

Port of Felixstowe workers’ walkout comes to an end; fears for further strike actions in UK

The eight-day strike at the Port of Felixstowe, which started on 21 August, officially ended on 29 August and according to Danish ocean container carrier Maersk, terminal operations have now returned to normal.

Over 1,900 members of the British trade union Unite went on strike after a dispute about a pay increase.

Addressing the striking dockworkers, the general secretary of Unite, Sharon Graham, said, “The company [Felixstowe Ports] is making an absolute fortune. It could pay 50% more on your wages and still be in profit. We are asking for 10%. What is the problem?”

Last week, Sharon Graham noted that the strike could continue until the end of 2022, if Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company, the port operator owned by Hutchison Ports UK Ltd, does not improve its offer.

However, the strike seems to have ended for now without any reports about an agreement between the workers and the port owner and operator.

Unite has warned that further strikes could be announced in the following weeks, if Hutchison Ports does not improve its offer. The Hong-Kong-based company has offered a 7% pay increase plus a £500 (US$577) bonus, while the union demands a 10% increase.

Meanwhile, Port of Liverpool workers are also expected to strike over pay in September, as earlier in August, in a ballot with an 88% turnout, 99% voted for strike action.

“Once again, a profitable company [Peel Group-owned Mersey Docks and Harbour Company (MDHC)] controlled by a tax-exiled billionaire is refusing to give its workers a cost-of-living pay rise,” said Sharon Graham of Unite, which represents Port of Liverpool workers.

There are fears that if workers from Felixstowe and Liverpool ports go on strike during the same period, there will be a significant disruption in the United Kingdom’s supply chain.





Antonis Karamalegkos
Managing Editor

Latest Posts

Hapag-Lloyd applies GRI on Pakistan–Middle East trade lanes

Hapag-Lloyd has announced a General Rate Increase (GRI) from Pakistan to the Arabian Gulf, Saudi Arabia (Eastern and Western Provinces), Jordan and Yemen, and...

Wan Hai Lines debuts new Vietnam–Thailand–India direct route

Wan Hai Lines has announced a new direct service, the Tamil Nadu–Thailand Express (TTX) service, with the first vessel arriving at India's Chennai and...

Red Sea Eases, but Carriers Wary as Suez Canal Pushes for Return

As the haze begins to lift over the troubled waters of the Red Sea, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) is carefully balancing reassurance with...

MSC and ZIM downsize joint Far East-US East Coast service network

In response to the recent changes in demand for cargo transport from Asia to the United States, MSC and ZIM have decided to adjust...

US sanctions target Iran-China oil trade, stirring waves across global shipping

As Washington ramps up its campaign to stifle Iranian oil revenues, a new chapter is unfolding in the ongoing tensions between the United States,...
error: Content is protected !!