Port of Liverpool: Redundancies considered at site hit by strikes

The Port of Liverpool operates two container terminals

A redundancy consultation process is due to begin at a port where workers have been in a long-running dispute over pay, its owners have said.

Unite union members began a two-week walk-out at the Port of Liverpool on 19 September and more workers are set to strike between 11 and 17 October.

Peel Ports Group (PPG) said the process was "extremely regrettable" but unavoidable, due to economic pressures.

Unite, whose members rejected a pay deal, has been approached for comment.

PPG said an increasing decline in the movement of containerised cargo for Liverpool over the last few months and a recent sharp fall in container vessel charter rates of about 50% had meant redundancies could be needed.

"The Port of Liverpool is to restructure its containers division and will next week start a redundancy consultation process, following a marked deterioration in the volume of containers handled by the port," a representative for the firm said.

"We are exploring a number of different options to try and protect as many jobs as possible, including redeploying staff in other areas of the business which are less exposed to the economic crisis.

"Whilst this is an extremely regrettable situation, as a responsible employer, we need to restructure now in order to minimise the potential greater impact the downturn in container business will have on jobs, further down the line."

It added that the union's members had rejected both an 8.3% rise in pay with a one-off payment of £750 and an improved offer of 10.2% increase in basic pay.

The Port of Liverpool covers two container terminals, the Royal Seaforth Container Terminal and Liverpool2.