n eight-day walk-out on the UK’s largest container port might result in empty cabinets within the run-up to Christmas, it’s feared.
Round 1,900 members of commerce union Unite at Felixstowe walked out on Sunday in a dispute over pay within the first strike to hit the Suffolk port since 1989.
A brand new report by The Instances suggests disruptions to supermarkets and producers might final till Christmas.
Unite nationwide officer Robert Morton advised Sky Information on Monday: “The provide chain can be severely disrupted, I settle for that. That’s one of many unlucky components of issues like this.
“It could possibly be over this afternoon if the employer agreed to satisfy us for real-time negotiations.
“The final message they gave to us is that ‘sure, we are going to meet you, however no, we won’t transfer our place one inch’.
“That’s the incorrect method.”
Mr Morton added that the cost-of-living disaster is driving the choice by members to strike.
“Clearly our members in Felixstowe are affected by (the cost-of-living disaster),” he advised Sky Information.
“We are attempting to maintain tempo with the inflation fee, but the employer at Felixstowe has provided a 7 per cent enhance in addition to a £500 lump sum cost that’s not consolidated throughout the pay.
“If we don’t obtain what we’re attempting to attain, there can be extra strikes.”
Paul Davey, head of company affairs on the Port of Felixstowe, advised Sky Information: “These negotiations have been occurring for a very long time now.
“The provide that was on the desk on the time they voted to strike was 5 per cent plus £500. It’s now 7 per cent plus £500.
“We’ve got moved significantly through the course of the negotiations.
“Unite began the negotiations asking for 10 per cent and so they ended them asking for 10 per cent.
“There’s just one occasion right here that’s tried to discover a deal.”
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