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Port of Felixstowe: Fresh strikes at UK's busiest container port

PA Media Unite members stand on picket line at Port of FelixstowePA Media
About 1,900 union members at the port are walking out for a second time following an eight-day stoppage last month

Further strike action has begun at the UK's busiest container port.

Workers at the Port of Felixstowe in Suffolk are walking out between 27 September and 5 October after the union Unite rejected an imposed pay deal.

About 1,900 union members took action for eight days last month, with Unite asking for a pay rise to match the rate of inflation - currently at about 10%.

The port said it was "very disappointed" with the further strike action.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Felixstowe and CK Hutchison [the port's owners] are both eye-wateringly wealthy, but rather than offer a fair pay offer, they have instead attempted to impose a real terms pay cut.

"Since the beginning of this dispute, Unite has given its total support to its members at Felixstowe and that will continue until this dispute is resolved."

PA Media Port of FelixstowePA Media
The Suffolk port handles about 48% of the UK's container trade

Phil Pemberton, Unite's full-time convenor at the port, said: "After the first strike action that we took we asked the company to meet with us to see if we could resolve this through negotiation.

"They've chosen not to, which we believe is unprofessional.

"So we believe it was on us to put more pressure on the company to do just that and meet with us and try to settle this the best way we can.

"We're now in a position where we've had to take another eight-day strike action because the company refuses to talk to us."

PA Media Strikers at the Port of FelixstowePA Media
The strike is set to last until 5 October

The Port of Felixstowe said: "We are very disappointed that Unite has announced this further strike action. The collective bargaining process has been exhausted and there is no prospect of agreement being reached with the union.

"The port is in the process of implementing a very fair pay increase of 7% plus £500.

"The pay award is effective from 1 January when CPI inflation was 5.4%. One branch of Unite at the port has already put the same pay offer to their members who voted to accept it.

"The next pay rise is due 1 January 2023 and we will discuss that with Unite in the normal way."

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