Almost 600 workers at the Port of Liverpool are to stage two more weeks of strikes as part of a long-running dispute over pay and jobs.
Unite has confirmed the new strike action will take place from October 24, to November 7. The news comes after Peel Ports announced job cuts at the docks because of the "marked deterioration" in the volume of containers it handles".
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The most recent industrial action taking place at the port was launched on October 11 and is due to end on October 17. Peel Ports has previously said it has offered the workers a 10.2% pay rise, a figure which Unite disputes. The union said the "real offer" was around 8.2%.
Since the strikes at the docks began on 19 September, the workers have been subject to job threats despite plans to expand the port
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Peel Holdings is hugely profitable and can absolutely afford to pay our members a proper wage increase. It did so at Camel Laird, so why not at Liverpool docks?
"Instead of negotiations to resolve this dispute, the company has chosen to threaten jobs and repeatedly mislead about the deal it has tabled.
"Our members are standing firm, and have their union’s complete support. The company must put forward a pay rise they can accept or this strike continues."
Unite national coordinating officer for free ports, Steven Gerrard, added: "If Peel had genuinely offered 10.2% to all grades, we would ballot our members. But they haven’t, nor have they addressed their failure to implement 2021’s pay agreement.
"Our members won’t put up with being treated as the second-class employees of the group. Unite’s message to Peel is 'stop the threats and misleading statements and put a proper offer on the table'."
A recent Peel Ports statement said: "Unite continues to make unrealistic and unsustainable above-inflation pay demands, whilst declining a meeting with ACAS.
"We are concerned Unite have no interest in resolving matters through the collective bargaining arrangements we have in place or via an independent ballot, as it continues to push for more strikes.
"Our average 10.2% basic pay increase offered in talks last week represents an industry leading deal and is 2% above inflation, at the time of the pay anniversary and review in June.
"Ongoing strikes are hurting Liverpool City Region’s businesses and prospects for future growth and jobs, at a time of economic uncertainty and volatile market conditions.
"We call on Unite to reconsider the greatly enhanced offer via an independent ballot, so we can bring these damaging strikes to an end."
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