LONDON (Guardian) -- Workers at the UK’s biggest container port have gone on strike for the first time since 1989, with shipping companies and union leaders warning the action could impact supply chains and leave shoppers waiting for goods.
About 1,900 members of Unite at Felixstowe walked out in a dispute over pay Sunday, in the latest outbreak of industrial action to hit a growing number of sectors of the economy.
Workers including crane drivers, machine operators and stevedores will take action after voting by more than 9-1 in favor of strikes. The union said the eight-day stoppage will have a big impact on the port, which handles around 4 million containers a year from 2,000 ships.
The strike is the latest industrial action to hit the UK economy amid widespread disruption to rail and bus services over the weekend as transport workers seek better pay and conditions.
The ongoing cost of living crisis, which has seen the price of food and energy bill soar, mean workers in many sectors are fighting for salary increases.
Felixstowe handles nearly half of the containerized freight entering the country and the action could mean ships have to be diverted to ports elsewhere in the UK or Europe.
A spokesperson for Logistics UK said Felixstowe does not handle “just in time goods”, such as food, and instead deals with products such as car parts and furniture.
However, shipping firms may be forced to change their routes and other ports – such as Southampton and Teesside – could be used to offload goods, they said.
The spokesperson said: “At this stage we haven’t got any grave concerns. All of our operators have been planning alternative routes.”
Haulage firms have warned the strike could have a serious impact on business while trade organizations have said consumers could be hit with price hikes.
Adam Searle, managing director of CP Transport, said his firm could lose £60,000-£70,000 if it does not move any containers this week.
“Throughout Suffolk the bill could run into the millions and throughout the country a lot more,” he told the BBC.
“It’s not going to affect food supply chains because all the fresh produce is already in stock, but it will affect the supply chain in terms of furniture, fences and random bits and bobs.”
Maersk, one of the world’s biggest container shippers, has said the strike could cause delays and forced it to make changes to its vessel lineup, according to Reuters.
Meanwhile, consumers could be hit with price rises and shortages of certain products, James Hookham,