The term strike is said to go back to work stoppages by British sailors who took in the sails to stress their demands (to strike sail). Striking dockworkers in Liverpool and Felixstowe are living up to this right now.
While some British unions have called off strikes over the Queen's death in total tradeunionist bankruptcy, the dockers are insisting on their class interest.
This includes Liverpool workers rejecting an offer of an 8.3% pay rise and a one-off payment of £750 and militantly standing firm on their demands. This is a strong signal, because 8.3% is more than the yellow unions in the FRG are even asking for as a maximum demand. But the English workers know that the price increases for everyday goods in the current crisis are far greater. And bourgeois sources also forecast a peak in the general inflation rate of 18.6% for January 2023. Instead of timid warning strikes, they have begun a two-week work stoppage to push for 20% wage increases. The number of night shifts is also to be reduced 25%.
The ports of Liverpool and Felixstowe, handle 60% of the UK's container traffic. Ford's supply chains are also being significantly disrupted. The outlook for dockers in this wage struggle is bright.
