Workers at Felixstowe, the UK's largest container port, to begin 8-day strike

More than 1,900 workers at Britain's largest container port are set to begin eight days of strike action on Sunday that unions and shipping companies warn could severely impact trade and supply chains.

Workers at the port of Felixstowe on the east coast of England are taking industrial action over a pay dispute, becoming the latest workers in Britain to go on strike as unions demand higher wages for their members facing a cost of living crisis. "Strike action will cause major disruption and send shockwaves through the UK's supply chain, but this dispute is entirely of the company's own making," said Bobby Morton, Unite union national officer for ports. "The company had every opportunity to make our members a fair offer but chose not to." On Friday, Felixstowe's operator, Hutchison Ports, said it believed the offer of a 7% wage increase and a 500 pound ($604) lump sum payment was fair. The labor union, which represents about 500 staff in the port's inspection, engineering and clerical roles, said it had accepted the deal. Unite, which mainly represents dockworkers, said the offer was significantly below the current rate of inflation and that last year it was given a below-inflation increase. "The port regrets the impact this action will have on UK supply chains," a Hutchison Ports spokesman said. The port said a contingency plan would be in place and it was working to minimize disruption during the strikes, which will last until August 29. Shipping group Maersk, one of the world's largest container carriers, warned that the action would have a significant impact, causing operational delays and forcing changes to its ship lineup. UK consumer price inflation hit 10.1% in July, the highest level since February 1982, according to figures released on August 17, with some economists forecasting inflation to reach 15% in the first three months of next year due to rising energy and food costs. Pressure on household incomes has already led to strikes by rail and bus workers demanding higher wage increases.