Port of Felixstowe: Further strike action planned

Eight days of strike action at Felixstowe port ended on Sunday 28 August

Further strike action is being planned at the UK's busiest container port over a pay dispute.

The Port of Felixstowe said it had received notice from Unite the union, with workers due to walk out from 27 September until 5 October.

About 1,900 members of the union took action there for eight days last month.

The company said there was no prospect of an agreement being reached. Unite said it had rejected an imposed pay deal.

The Suffolk port handles about 48% of the UK container trade

In a letter to members seen by the BBC, the port said workers would get a 7% pay rise plus a bonus of £500.

Unite asked for a pay rise to match the rate of inflation, which is currently at about 10%.

In a statement on its website, the Port of Felixstowe said: "We are very disappointed that Unite has announced this further strike action at this time.

"The collective bargaining process has been exhausted and there is no prospect of agreement being reached with the union."

It added that it was in the process of implementing the 2022 pay award of 7% plus £500 which would be backdated to 1 January 2022.

Unite national officer, Bobby Morton, said: "The latest strike action is entirely of Felixstowe's own making.

"Rather than seeking to negotiate a deal to resolve the dispute, the company instead tried to impose a pay deal."

The strike action will coincide with a two-week walkout by workers at the port of Liverpool, from 19 September to 3 October, also in a row over pay.