Dockers at the Port of Felixstowe have today voted overwhelmingly to strike in a row over pay.

A majority of 92% of workers at the largest container port of the 80% of the 1,800 Unite members at the port that took part in the vote, voted in favour of industrial action.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "The bottom line is this is an extremely wealthy company that can fully afford to give its workers a pay rise. Instead it chose to give bonanza pay outs to shareholders touching £100 million.

"Unite is focused on defending the jobs, pay and conditions of its members and we will giving 100 per cent support to our members at Felixstowe.

"Workers should not be paying the price for the pandemic with a pay cut. Unite has undertaken 360 disputes in a matter of months and we will do all in our power to defend workers."'

Strike action would bring Felixstowe to a standstill and would cause major logistical problems for maritime and road haulage transport entering the port. Felixstowe is responsible for 48 per cent of the UK's container trade.

Cranes will soon stop moving (Picture credit: Nub News)

Union bosses claim The Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company is extremely profitable; its most recent accounts show that it made pre-tax profits of £61 million in 2020, when it also paid out £99 million in dividends.

The company's dividends are paid into a complicated company structure but are principally received by the organisation's ultimate holding company, CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd. It is registered in the Cayman Islands and listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange.

Unite regional officer Miles Hubbard said: "Strike action at Felixstowe will inevitably create huge disruption across the UK's supply chain.

 "This dispute is of Felixstowe's own making. Strike dates have yet to be announced but even at this late stage the dispute could be resolved by the company returning to negotiations and making a realistic offer."

Port of Felixstowe bosses, which is owned by Hutchison Ports, and Unite leaders are meeting later today for last-minute talks to try and avert the strike. 

Empty docks at Felixstowe (Picture credit: Nub News)

If port workers do go on strike, vessels may have to be diverted away from Felixstowe to ports elsewhere in the UK or Europe.

A spokesman for the Port of Felixstowe said: "The company made what we believe to be a very fair offer and we are disappointed with the result of the ballot.

"Both parties are still talking and we hope to avoid any industrial action."