WORKERS at the UK port of Liverpool will walk out again in a second strike from October 11 after failing to gain any concessions from operator Peel Ports.

The one-week strike follows a two-week strike that will conclude on October 3 and comes as workers in Felixstowe are also out on strike in a dispute with owner Hutchison.

The new Liverpool action will also see involvement from control room operators as well as dock workers and engineers, and union Unite is balloting the port’s dock masters; shift managers and vessel traffic services officers are also preparing to be balloted for strike action.

The combined impact of so many roles striking meant the entire port would “literally become inoperable”, Unite said. “The anger amongst Mersey Docks and Harbour Co staff at the greed of this hugely profitable firm and its billionaire owner John Whittaker reaches from one end of the company to the other,” said Unite general secretary Sharon Graham.

“Our members will not back down and neither will Unite. MDHC needs to keep its previous pay promises and put forward a proper pay rise now.”

The union said workers were angry at Peel’s 8.3% pay offer when retail price index inflation was running at 12.3%, arguing that it amounted to a pay cut.

It also claims the port has failed to honour a 2021 pay agreement by not undertaking a promised pay review and failing to deliver on an agreement to improve shift rotas.

“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,” said Unite national coordinator Steven Gerrard. “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.”

Data from supply chain visibility provider project44 shows that last month's strike at Felixstowe drove the UK's vessel dwell times up by 86.1% month on month, the highest percentage change of any global region.

“There is reason to be concerned about the disruption to supply chains, trade and business across the UK caused by the industrial disputes,” said project44 vice-president Josh Brazil. “Shipping wasn’t at its peak at the time of the strikes last month, so the impact was significant but manageable. This time, it’s more likely that supply chains will be under pressure and trade could be affected by the overlapping Liverpool strike. With Christmas fast approaching, the prospect of two ports closing at once won't help the UK’s already troubled supply chain.”

While cargoes to Felixstowe can be diverted locally to either London Gateway or Southampton, and easily transhipped from Europe if the UK is bypassed, Liverpool has fewer options near by.

Mr Brazil warned that a quick settlement of these industrial disputes is unlikely given the mood among dock workers at UK container ports.

“The cost-of-living crisis is only likely to get worse, as the latest tax-cutting, debt-funded measures introduced by the new UK government have caused sterling to crash to near parity with the US dollar, making imports of oil, other commodities, industrial goods and food significantly more expensive.”