Strike of Maritime Pilots May Halt Quarter of UK Sea Trade - Union

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A possible strike by UK maritime pilots may affect operations of all ports of the country's Associated British Ports (ABP) operator, responsible for almost a quarter of UK maritime shipping, the Unite workers' union said on Friday.

"Unite, Britain's leading union, is warning Associated British Ports (ABP) that strike action could be brewing across its 21 ports which handle around a quarter of the UK’s seaborne trade," the union said in a statement.

Enhancement of ABP's medical standards for its staff was the main reason for disturbance among the pilots, the statement read. Legally, such measures should be confirmed with workers' representatives. The operator has not clarified what will happen to the personnel who will not meet the updated requirements.

"Unite is not opposed to enhanced checks but they need to be negotiated and introduced fairly. ABP needs to realize that Unite stands ready to defend our members’ jobs, terms and conditions," the union quoted its general secretary, Sharon Graham, as saying.

While the organization did not provide information about possible dates for the industrial actions, it said that they may affect ports in Cardiff, Newport, Swansea and Immingham, among others.

The United Kingdom has seen a series of strikes over the past months, as people express their dissatisfaction with the worsening economic situation caused by rising energy prices and soaring inflation in the country. Employees of railroad companies, post offices, airports as well as lawyers, among others, have been taking part in the demonstrations.