by Manal Barakat, SeaNewsEditor

Over 100 workers at the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) in London are set to strike over planned redundancies and changes to collective bargaining agreements.

Workers will strike on 22 and 29 July, and an overtime ban and work-to-rule will be in place from 17 July.

The strike, organised by Unite, the UK’s leading union, follows ITF management's decision to restructure the organisation, which includes cutting a quarter of the workforce this year.

According to the union, the proposed cuts exclude senior management roles, with wages for leadership positions increasing by 47 per cent from 2021 to 2024.

ITF management cites financial challenges but has refused to provide the financial disclosure requested by Unite on behalf of staff, leading to a complaint to the Central Arbitration Committee.

While the strikes will not impact port operations, they represent labour disputes in one of the country's key unions.

ILA organises anti-automation conference

Meanwhile, dockworker trade unions worldwide will gather in Lisbon on 5 November to address the threat of automation in the maritime industry.

The action will be organised by the United States' International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and coordinated by the International Dockworkers Council (IDC).

The union is organising a conference titled “People Over Profit: Anti-Automation Conference,” which aims to develop a shared roadmap and strategic plan to halt the unregulated advance of technological processes.

The ILA describes the conference as an opportunity to strengthen the defence of decent jobs, occupational safety, and collective rights at a decisive moment for the future of maritime and port labour. 

Automation was one of the critical issues that hampered labour negotiations on the US East Coast last year.