Striking dock workers at the Port of Liverpool were joined by environmental activists four days into their fight for better wages and working conditions.
Campaigners from the Liverpool City Region Climate Justice Coalition, Friends of the Earth, Extinction Rebellion Wirral, Save Rimrose Valley, Green New Deal Rising, and Axe Drax joined port operatives and engineers outside the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company (MDHC) today, September 23.
The picket line could continue until October 3 as the dock workers continue to strike over a 8.3% pay rise offer, which they say amounts to a pay cut as it is not in line with the current rate of inflation.
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They have also objected to what they say is MDHC’s failure to undertake a pay review, and a lack of improvements to shift rotas.
Clara Paillard, co-ordinator of the LCR Climate Justice Coalition, said: "As climate activists we want to support the Liverpool dockers on strike. We believe that the welfare of the land and the welfare of the workers are deeply linked. We're all fighting against the same thing, which is a system about profit and greed.
"Big companies are exploiting workers, not paying them the right wages, and also exploiting our natural resources, harming communities and destroying the land.
"With the big energy price rise and the cost of living crisis, we're being told that the solution is more fracking, more oil, more gas, but in fact we could invest in renewable energy sources which could reduce the prices which people have to pay. Instead, we see big companies making big profits at the expense of the workers."
Ralph James, a former Sefton councillor, joined the strike as part of Axe Drax, which opposes the power generation company and its international biomass supply chain business. Peel Ports, MDHC's parent company, is home to the fuel giant's biomass import terminal at Gladstone Dock.
He said: "There has never been a greater need for unity between environmental groups, progressive parties and workers. We have reached a watershed moment in British politics and I believe corporate fascism is in danger of taking control.
"The workers have not been treated fairly in terms of pay or conditions. I don't think there's a better time to show solidarity."
Dock worker Phil Creighton said: "The men's morale couldn't be any higher. We're here every day, and every day the men are going above and beyond to make it to the picket line.
"The support has been brilliant. We've had support from the locals, the police, the fire brigade, and even people in their own homes. The community has been dropping off food parcels, shop owners have been dropping off drinks, you name it, we've had it in supply.
"We couldn't be stronger."
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