The operator of the Port of Liverpool has issued a statement after plans for another walkout by staff were confirmed.
It was confirmed on Thursday that around 600 Liverpool port workers will stage an additional seven days of industrial action next month. Unite the Union said senior control room operators and control room operators will join port operatives and engineer colleagues in a week-long strike from October 11.
In addition, the port’s dock masters, shift managers and vessel traffic services officers are also preparing to be balloted for strike action. Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said its members were not paid to back down in its struggle with port operator Mersey Docks and Harbour Company (MDHC).
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MDHC is part of the Peel Group which operates the Port of Liverpool. In a statement responding to the planned strikes, a Peel Ports spokesperson moved to quell concerns to customers.
The statement said: “We have offered a very significant 8.3% pay package, and a £750 one off-payment, which would ensure the staff involved are among the best-paid in the industry, so it’s disappointing that further, damaging strike action has been scheduled. We can assure all our non-container customers that their port operations will continue as normal during this period.”
Staff have warned that industrial action on this scale would leave the port “inoperable”. One union official said this would be solely the result of MDHC’s “insufficient” pay offer.
As the strikes were confirmed yesterday, Steven Gerrard, Unite national coordinator for free ports, said: “The disruption caused to the port of Liverpool and the supply lines that depend on it is entirely the fault of MDHC and Peel Ports. If even more staff walk out over the company’s insufficient pay offer, the entire port will literally become inoperable.
“The company can afford to put forward an offer our members can accept and must do so.” The strikes are the latest in a series of walkouts by unions across Merseyside this year, with bus drivers from Arriva and RMT members also leaving their posts in a dispute over pay and conditions. A walkout is planned by rail staff from tomorrow.
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