Britain is facing its worst docks strike in decades with workers at Felixstowe yesterday starting an eight-day walkout over pay.
Felixstowe is the UK’s largest container port and shipping group Maersk had already warned of a significant impact on operations, with traffic being directed elsewhere to Europe and London Gateway
“We expect the strike action to have a significant impact to the vessel line-up and are working along with vessel partners to mitigate risk and disruption as much as possible,” Maersk said.
Analysts predict the strike will have a direct cost of £700mln and impact retailers importing products and major exporters such as Rolls-Royce, RS, a parts distributor, and GSK.
Clearing the backlog might take as long as 24 days if there is no more action.
More than 1,900 workers represented by Unite have walked out, the latest in a series of strikes across the UK this summer, as employees look to offset soaring inflation.
Felixstowe is run by Hutchison Ports, which said it had made an offer of a 7% pay rise plus a one-off £500.
Describing it as fair, the company added it had been accepted by supervisory, engineering and clerical staff.
Unite said the offer followed a below inflation award last year and was significantly below the current cost of living increases.
"Hutchison has had every opportunity to make our members a fair offer but has chosen not to do so,” said Bobby Morton, Unite national officer for docks.
Action will continue until 29 August.
Britain has been hit by a wave of strikes in recent weeks reflecting a surge in household costs.
Consumer Inflation hit 10.1% in July and energy prices are being tipped to rise by 25% to £2,500 a year on average.
Rail workers have already taken action with workers at Royal Mail and British Telecom all due to walk out later this summer.
Criminal barristers, meanwhile, have voted to go on permanent strike from 5 September over pay and conditions, a day that coincides with the new prime minister taking office.