It is reported that Unite the Union has confirmed that more than 560 dockers at the Port of Liverpool, the UK’s second largest container terminal, will hold strike action from September 19 to October 3.
The union has warned that the strike action will severely disrupt shipping and road transport in and around Liverpool, adding that more strikes will be scheduled in the coming weeks if MDHC fails to make an acceptable offer to workers.
Sarah Shifflin, a supply chain management expert at Liverpool John Moores University in the UK, said the timing of the strike was critical, as many supply chains were preparing for the Christmas selling season. Moreover, extreme weather such as drought in Europe this summer has also seriously affected the supply chain.
In this regard, the shipping company CMA CGM said: “The team is doing their best to develop suitable contingency plans to provide the most reliable service possible during the disruption. We are working hard to provide alternative solutions through other UK ports and will continue to provide Door to door service.”