(ANSA) - FELIXSTOWE, AUGUST 21 - The workers of the port of Felixstowe, in Suffolk, the largest in the United Kingdom, start an eight-day strike that creates concern for its possible repercussions on the distribution chain of benin the country.
A strike that is only the latest in a chain that has traversed transport and various other sectors for several weeks: a wave of protests that focuses on wages, which the trade unions are asking to adjust to a darecord level of inflation, which exceeded 10% in July and is expected to reach 13% in October: the highest level among the G7 countries.
As of today, 1,900 crane and machinery operators and other dock workers in the east of England, who manage an average of 4 million containers a year, are crossing their arms.
It is the first strike of this port since 1989.
"The Felixstowe docks are extremely profitable. The most recent figures show that in 2020 they made 61 million lines (about 72 million euros) in profits", declared the secretary of the Unite union. Sharon Graham.
"His parent company, CK Hutchison Holding Ltd, is so rich that that same year it paid out £ 99 million in dividends to its shareholders. So I think it is capable of giving Felixstowe workers a fair wage increase," added Graham.
The business counterpart said it had asked the trade union to suspend the strike and sit at a bargaining table "to find a solution".
The firm said it offered a "fair" increase of 8% for average salaries and 10% for lower wages and that it now fears for supplies.
According to some analysts, the strike should not have too strong an impact on supplies of goods, because the market is used to the disturbances after the Covid pandemic crisis.
(HANDLE).
