Workers the British port of Felixstowe have agreed to pay increases between 2022 and 2023, ending months of industrial action that severely disrupted operations in the second half of the year.
Felixstowe Port handles almost half of the container freight entering the UK. It is the largest and busiest container port in the UK and one of the largest ports in Europe. The strike means that cargo ships must be transferred to ports in the UK or other parts of Europe.
Since August 21, 2022, nearly 2000 workers at the UK's largest container port, Felixstowe, began an eight-day strike. This is a strike by British employees because their wages have failed to keep up with the pace of inflation. The strike caused the suspension of the port of Felixstowe and the forced transfer of cargo ships to ports in the UK or other parts of Europe, which had a significant impact on the UK's supply chain and logistics and transportation sectors.
Port Felixstowe, Britain's largest container port, is basically at a standstill after the start of an eight-day strike. And a war of words between unions and port officials is heating up, with both sides threatening to extend the strike.
Hutchison Ports (UK), which owns Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company, said in a statement that workers voted to accept a 8.5 percent pay rise next year, plus a one-time bonus of 1,000 pounds ($1,242). In another agreement, the workers also agreed to a 7% pay rise in 2022 and a one-time payment of 500 pounds ($619).
"We are pleased to have an agreement on compensation for 2023," said Robert Ashton, chief operating officer of the Port of Felixstowe. "This is the first time we have completed our annual compensation review. It provides gratifying certainty and stability at a time when our employees, like everyone else, are facing an increase in the cost of living.
The Felixstowe agreement follows a pay deal in Liverpool that some 600 Unite workers reached with Port Peel in early November, ending months of disruption at Britain's West Coast hub.
Forwardernet.com