Port of Felixstowe workers accept 8.5% pay rise but wider dispute continues

Port workers at Felixstowe have voted to accept a new pay deal from the container port, bringing to an end a dispute that began in the summer.

The port said over 90% of workers agreed a pay increase of 8.5%, plus £1,000 to be paid in January.

Robert Ashton, COO at the Port of Felixstowe, said: “We are pleased to have reached an agreement on the 2023 pay deal.

“This is the earliest we have concluded an annual pay review and it provides welcome certainty and stability at a time when our employees, like everyone else, are facing an increase in the cost of living.”

After negotiations broke down in July, strikes involving 1,900 workers began in August and caused disruption to container hauliers, who were forced to divert services or stand fleet vehicles up.

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However, the port told MPs in October that disruption had not caused as much disruption as feared because customers planned ahead and collected containers early.

Unite said the agreed two-year pay increase was broken down as 7% for 2022 and a one-off payment of £500, rising to 8.5% from 1 January and another payment of £1,000.

The union added that there remained an outstanding issue of what it described as victimisation of Unite members.

A Unite spokesperson said: “While this pay increase is significant and was achieved as a result of strike action, the wider dispute will not be over until our members who have been victimised, are back at work.”