NORTH BERGEN, NJ – The leadership of the International Longshoremen’s Association and the International Dockworkers Council have sent strong messages of solidarity and support to the leadership of UNITE in the United Kingdom, whose dockworkers are on strike.
In a letter to Sharon Graham, General Secretary, of UNITE, the union that represents approximately 1,500 dockworkers now on strike at the Port of Felixstowe, the U.K’s largest container port, ILA President Harold Daggett wrote: “The 70,000 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association, representing dockworkers at United States ports on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts; Great Lakes, Puerto Rico and Eastern Canada ports pledge their full support and solidarity with our Sister and Brother Felixstowe dockworkers now engaged in an eight-day strike for higher wages. These highly skilled dockworkers, members of UNITE, at the Port of Felixstowe, are engaged in a legitimate job action for higher pay. Their employers are making record profits and Felixstowe dockworkers deserve to be compensated sufficiently with wages that recognize their contributions to the nation’s economy. Felixstowe dockworkers and their families are faced with huge increases in cost of living, coupled with rising energy costs.”
IDC General Coordinator Dennis A. Daggett wrote: “The International Dockworkers’ Council, with its world-wide affiliation of 120,000 dockworkers, extend our full measure of solidarity and support with our our Sister and Brother Felixstowe dockworkers We know their employers are making record profits and it should be made clear that Felixstowe dockworkers does not engage in this battle for fair wages alone: they are backed by the force and support of the International Dockworkers’ Council and all our affiliates.
The IDC stands ready to offer any support necessary to make certain UNITE emerges victorious.
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