Felixstowe port workers enter second of eight-day strike

Record ID: 1685728

  • Title: Felixstowe port workers enter second of eight-day strike
  • Date: 22nd August 2022
  • Summary: FELIXSTOWE, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (AUGUST 22, 2022) (REUTERS) FELIXSTOWE PORT WORKERS OM PICKET LINE / TRUCK SOUNDING HORN
  • Embargoed: 5th September 2022 13:10
  • Keywords: Felixstowe strike Port of Felixstowe UK container port drone industrial action pay dispute picket line port workers strike supply chain union
  • Location: FELIXSTOWE, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • City: FELIXSTOWE, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Country: UK
  • Topics: Europe,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001987522082022RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: More than 1,900 workers at Britain's biggest container port entered a second day of strike action on Monday (August 22).
    The staff at Felixstowe, on the east coast of England, are taking eight days of industrial action in a dispute over pay, becoming the latest workers to strike in Britain as unions demand higher wages for members facing a cost of living crisis.
    About 48% of all containers brought into the UK are transported through the Felixstowe port, according to the Unite union, making it an important import hub for Britain.
    The strike could disrupt more than $800 million in trade, including in clothing and electronic components, causing trade to be diverted to smaller UK ports as well as international ports including Wilhelmshaven in Germany, risk management firm Russell Group said.
    On Friday (August 19), Felixstowe's operator Hutchison Ports said it believed its offer of a 7% pay rise and a lump sum of 500 pounds ($604) was fair.
    It said the port's workers union, which represents about 500 staff in supervisory, engineering, and clerical roles, had accepted the deal.
    Unite, which represents mainly dock workers, says the proposal is significantly below the current inflation rate and followed a below inflation increase last year.
    (Production: Toby Melville, Lucy Marks)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2022. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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