Hundreds of workers at the Port of Liverpool have embarked on their third strike in less than two months after pay talks ended in a deadlock last week.
Trade union Unite said the talks had ended “in chaos” after the board of Peel Ports, which operates the port, had halted a deal that would have given workers “a decent pay rise whilst profits soar”.
Workers are demanding pay hikes to keep up with the UK’s inflation rate, which is currently around 12%.
Unite claimed that Peel had offered workers a raise of around 8%, while the port said it had improved its offer six times to the latest 11% for lowest-paid employees. The first strike at the port began on September 19, and after returning to work for several weeks, workers again took to the picket lines on October 24.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the union had in good faith negotiated with management to thrash out the latest deal. However, she claimed the firm had now reneged on it after the board had intervened to stop the deal - already agreed in principle - from going ahead.
“The Unite team negotiated in good faith with Peel Ports. But the talks ended in farce, with the deal agreed between Unite and senior management being pulled by the board. Strike action by our members, and with the full support of Unite, will go ahead,” Graham said.
“Peel Ports’ untrustworthy behaviour and its attempts to threaten the workforce are only escalating the dispute,” she added.
Unite said Peel Ports had paid out £300 million in dividends over the last five years and had recently recorded pre-tax profits of £141m.
“Our members’ resolve is only increasing with every new low the company sinks to. They know Peel Ports can afford to pay a proper increase and that is what has to happen,” Unite national officer Robert Morton said.
