// Walk-out at Felixstowe port could hit availability and prices
// Experts are warning could go way beyond eight day action and last until Christmas
Retailers are braced for a new eight-day strike at the UK’s largest container port, which threatens to derail some businesses as they stock up before Christmas.
The latest strike will run from 27 September to 5 October, after port workers rejected a 7% pay deal, according to Unite.
The union said workers had “overwhelmingly rejected” the pay deal, which it said represented a “sizeable pay cut” as it is below the rate of inflation.
Felixstowe handles almost half the container freight that enters the UK and a previous strike last month brought the port to a standstill.
There are growing concerns that consumers could face fresh shortages of some goods and even higher prices, on top of the soaring inflation that is already hitting hard-pressed consumers.
The walkout by 1,900 dockworkers at the Suffolk port comes amid the wave of strikes following industrial action that has been staged or planned by rail and London Underground workers, bus drivers, Royal Mail and Post Office staff.
The strike in August was estimated to have cost up to £700 million in lost trade and Maersk, the world’s largest shipping line, has started cancelling calls into the port and is diverting traffic to European ports including Antwerp, Le Havre and London Gateway on the Thames.
An analysis of Felixstowe’s August traffic by trade consultancy Russell found that clothing and electronics components are likely to be among the goods hit most severely.
Russell managing director, Suki Basi, said: “The large exposure of British companies from the disruption is a real-time example of ‘connected trading risk exposure’. The disruption creates ripple effects across the economy, from supply chain disruption for organisations to potential higher prices for consumers.
“Ports across the globe are facing congestion, due to a backlog caused by the pandemic. These strikes could increase the backlog.”
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