Chaos over Christmas presents looms in UK’s largest port

Chaos over Christmas presents looms in UK’s largest port

Freight shipments across Britain are on the brink of serious disruption after workers vote to strike over wages at the country’s busiest container port.

Unite members of Felixstowe, which is responsible for nearly half of Britain’s container trade, have voted to leave next month.

Employees were offered a 5% pay increase which is 4.4 percent lower than inflation and nearly 7 percent lower than the retail price index index Unite describes as the “real” pace of price increases.

The union said: “Strikes would bring Felixstowe to a standstill and cause major logistical problems for sea and road transport entering the port.”

A strike at the port, in Suffolk, threatens to cause major disruptions in the early stages of the “peak season”, the period in the second half of the year when importers prepare for Christmas.

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

Miles Hubbard, Unite’s regional officer, said: “Strikes at Felixstowe will inevitably cause massive disruption in the UK supply chain.”

The planned strikes, the dates of which have not been announced, are adding to a wave of strikes – mainly over wages – that have already caused serious disruptions to the UK’s transport sector and several other industries.

Unite said the Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company was “extremely profitable”. The latest accounts show a pre-tax profit of £61 million in 2020 and £99 million in dividends.

Sharon Graham, Unite’s general secretary, said: “The bottom line is that this is an extremely wealthy company that can fully afford to give its employees a pay rise.”

A Port of Felixstowe spokesperson said: “The company has made what we believe to be a very reasonable offer and we are disappointed with the outcome of the vote. The union has agreed to our request to meet with ACAS next week and we hope that a union 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 it was also voting dockers in Liverpool on possible strike action.