Strike action seems likely to go ahead from the 21st August after Union representatives Unite and Hutchison Ports (UK) failed to reach an agreement on pay.

92% of Unite members opted for industrial action after rejecting a 5% pay increase, believing this to effectively be a pay cut with RPI currently standing at 11.9%.

In a bid to avoid the industrial action, which will cause severe logistical disruptions for supply chains all over the globe, Hutchison Ports (UK) increased their offer to a 7% increase with union members also receiving a one-off bonus of £500.

A spokesperson for Hutchison Ports (UK) said in a statement last Tuesday “There will be no winners from a strike, which will only result in their members losing money they would otherwise have earned”.

The strike action, vowing to be a complete shutdown of the port, will be a further blow to companies and supply chains still trying to recover from COVID-19 and the Russian invasion of the Ukraine.

For further information and a contingency plan, we encourage you to contact your Customer Development Manager on 01375 856060 or email crmteam@ugroup.co.uk to discuss.