A fight to reinstate four sacked Felixstowe dock workers is being taken to the headquarters of the port's Chinese owners.
Union Unite is ramping up its campaign to reinstate the "Felixstowe Four" - four dock workers who were dismissed by Hutchison Ports during a period of intense industrial strife over the winter.
Striking workers eventually voted to accept a pay offer after a dispute which went on for some months and caused widespread disruption.
A two-year deal was struck in December 2022 which gave the port's 1,900 workers a 15.5% rise made up of a 7% increase for 2022, 8.5% for 2023 and a one-off payment of £1k.
Unite representatives have gone to Hong Kong to take their protest to the CK Hutchison annual general meeting which takes place on Thursday, May 18, from noon Hong Kong time (eight hours ahead of the UK) at Kowloon.
The union will be targeting key CK Hutchison investors including Allianz, Barclays, Blackrock, Goldman Sachs and HSBC and seeking meetings with them over the affair.
Unite claims the four workers were unfairly targeted for dismissal because of their trade union activities despite their long service and exemplary records and says legal action is ongoing.
Head of executive operations Gail Cartmail said: “Felixstowe may be 6,000 miles from Hong Kong, but that isn’t far enough for CK Hutchison to escape responsibility for its unwarranted attack on our members.
"Unite will make sure investors know exactly how and why these workers have been sacked.
"CK Hutchison can do the right thing right now. Reinstate the Felixstowe Four and end this injustice.”
The Port of Felixstowe/Hutchisons has been approached for a comment.
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