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Almost 2,000 union workers will be striking at England’s biggest container port. The strike will begin on Sunday and last for eight days.

Felixstowe port, located on the east coast of England, is set to have a strike this week over disagreements over wages.

The members of Unite union voted 9-1 in favour of this strike, which will be the port’s first industrial action since 1989.

Members of the union include crane drivers, machine operators and stevedores.

The union has alleged that Felixstowe’s parent company has prioritised profits instead of paying workers a livable wage.

According to Felixstowe port, another union called the Port of Felixstowe which represents 500 workers, has voted in favour of accepting the new pay offer.

Felixstowe port has said it was “disappointed” that Unite workers could not come to a “constructive” resolution.

A statement for the organisation said: “We recognise these are difficult times but… we believe that the company’s offer, worth over 8 percent on average… is fair.

“The port regrets the impact this action will have on UK supply chains… there will be no winners from this unnecessary industrial action.”

Unite union has warned the strike will have a significant impact on UK supply change as the port is responsible for half the container freights entering the country.

The strikes may mean that ships will have to be diverted to other ports in the UK or Europe to make their deliveries.

A source at Felixstowe port has claimed that the UK’s supply chain is used to disruptions due to the Covid pandemic.

They said that strikes will be an “inconvenience not a catastrophe”.

Sharon Graham, the Unite Union General Secretary, has said the port is “enormously profitable”.

She said: “The latest figures show that in 2020 it made £61m in profits, its parent company, CK Hutchison Holding Ltd, is so wealthy that, in the same year, it handed out £99 million to its shareholders. So they can give Felixstowe workers a decent pay raise.”

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The latest industrial action comes after a summer of strikes as unions have protested against wage deductions and job cuts during the cost of living crisis.

In June, the rail workers’ strike began and the ongoing action has stopped trains across the country, as Network Rail says only about 20 percent of Britain’s rail network will be open this week.

The Government railway unions have not reached a conclusion despite months of negotiations.

More strikes are being planned later this August, as more than 115,000 postal workers will strike later this month and BT telecom workers face their first strikes in 35 years as workers plan walkouts.

Other industries that are planning strikes are Amazon warehouse staff, criminal lawyers and garbage collectors.

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