The ongoing pay strike at Britain’s biggest cargo port will result in “serious disruption” to the supply chain, a Unite union official said on Monday. The eight-day social movement that began on Sunday at the port of Felixstowe in the east of England, “could be finished this afternoon if the businessmen agree to meet us for real negotiations“, stressed Robert Morton, head of the logistics branch of the union. In his fault, “the supply chain will suffer serious disruptions. This is one of the unfortunate consequences of such situations.“, added to the television antenna Sky News.

Unite members ask for salary increasesat least equal to the rate of inflation“, while the employers proposed 7% according to him. “If we don’t get our way, there will be more strikes“, he warned. Inflation reached 10.1% annually in July and could exceed 13% in October, the highest level of a G7 country.

First strike since 1989

This is the first strike since 1989 for this port, which handles around four million containers a year. According to a note from financial analyst firm Hargreaves Lansdown on Monday, Felixstowe “is a vital cog in UK business operations, and an eight-day strike risks causing supply disruptions to supermarkets“.

A Felixstowe official noted that management had adjusted its stance, from a 5% raise to 7% plus a £500 bonus paid in one lump sum, while Unite remained at 10%, he said. “Only one of the two parties tries to reach an agreementadded Paul Davey, director of public affairs for the port, on Sky News.

read alsoFacing inflation, UK hit by massive transport strikes

This strike is the latest in a series of industrial actions for better wages in the UK, where households are facing a historic drop in their purchasing power. Between Thursday and Saturday, the country experienced three consecutive days of work stoppages that disrupted transport, including the London Underground. Other professions have been mobilized, such as lawyers, who announced on Monday that they had decided to strengthen their movement after an internal consultation of their order, which risks aggravating court congestion.