Workers at the port of Felixstowe in Suffolk, the largest in the United Kingdom, start an eight-day strike that creates concern about its possible repercussions on the chain of goods distribution in the country. A strike that is only the latest in a chain that has gone through transport and various other sectors for several weeks: a wave of wage protests, which unions are demanding to adjust to a record level of inflation, which has exceeded 10% in July and is expected to reach 13% in October: the highest level among the G7 countries.
Starting today, 1,900 crane operators, machinery operators and other dock workers in the east of England manage an average of 4 million containers a year. It is the first strike of this airport since 1989.
“Felixstowe’s docks are extremely profitable. The most recent figures show that they made £ 61 million (approximately € 72 million) in profits in 2020,” said Unite union secretary Sharon Graham. “Its parent company, CK Hutchison Holding Ltd, is so rich that that same year it paid out £ 99m in dividends to its shareholders. So I believe it is able to give Felixstowe workers a fair wage increase.” Graham added.
The business counterpart said he asked the union to suspend the strike and sit at a negotiating table “to find a solution”. The firm said it offered a “fair” increase of 8% for average salaries and 10% for lower wages and now feared for supplies.
Source: Ansa
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