More than 500 dock workers voted in favor of a strike after being offered a 7% wage increase fromMDHC Container ServicesSome of-Peel Ports, the UK’s second largest port group. The “Unite” labor union said that the offer is insufficient and far below the current real inflation rate, which according to the Bank of England’s estimate may reach 13% this year.
“The strikes, the dates of which have not yet been determined, will bring Liverpool’s container port to a standstill, one of the largest in the country,” said the trade union Unite.
The move comes as the industry prepares for an eight-day strike at the country’s largest container port, Felixstowe, scheduled for later this month, threatening to disrupt UK trade and put further pressure on the supply chain. About 1,900 employees inFelixstowe They got off their tanks on August 21.
The union warned that strikes by either group of workers would have a serious impact on both shipping and road transport in and around Liverpool.
The proposed strike at Felixstowe port could cause trade disruption of more than $800 million according to a new analysis by the Russell Group, a data and analytics company.
Commenting on the implications for European shipping calls with the potential twin strikes in the UK, Lars Jensen, CEO of maritime consultancy Spucci Maritime, suggested via LinkedIn: ‘With such large strikes, carriers will have to offload cargo to the UK at central hubs. Like Antwerp and Rotterdam and as a result to further aggravate the congestion problems that also exist on the continent.’
The likely disruption in the UK comes at a time when European ports are just beginning to see a reduction in congestion that has plagued ports for months.