A union has revealed plans for a strike subsequent month that it says will deliver operations on the UK’s largest container port to a “standstill”.
Unite made the risk whereas revealing the outcomes of a poll amongst its members at Felixstowe, finally employed by worldwide ports operator CK Hutchison.
The union mentioned employees backed industrial motion over pay by 92% on an 81% turnout.
“The dispute is a result of the Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company offering a pay increase of just 5% to its workers,” Unite mentioned.
“This is an efficient pay minimize with the true (RPI) fee of inflation at present standing at 11.9%.
“Last year the workforce received a below inflation pay increase of 1.4%”.
The proposed motion, which Unite anticipated would start subsequent month with out substantial progress in resolving the dispute, is a part of a wider union marketing campaign for wage settlements to guard their members from the price of residing disaster.
It has already included rail and Tube strikes – with the prospect of extra journey disruption to return.
Felixstowe was but to remark however the prospect of halts to operations would have devastating results for the UK provide chain because it handles nearly half the nation’s container visitors.
It can also be no stranger to disruption as backlogs set in forward of Christmas final yr due to a scarcity of HGV drivers.
Hong-Kong-based CK Hutchison is without doubt one of the world’s main container terminal and port service operators.
Unite basic secretary Sharon Graham mentioned: “The bottom line is this is an extremely wealthy company that can fully afford to give its workers a pay rise.
“Instead it selected to provide bonanza pay outs to shareholders touching £100m.
“Unite is focused on defending the jobs, pay and conditions of its members and we will giving 100% support to our members at Felixstowe.
“Workers shouldn’t be paying the value for the pandemic with a pay minimize.
“Unite has undertaken 360 disputes in a matter of months and we will do all in our power to defend workers.”
Source: information.sky.com”
