Tilbury protest today in London Gateway 'recognition' dispute
Unite activists will be protesting at the Uniserve depot outside the Port of Tilbury today (Thursday 22 August) in the continuing union recognition dispute with the owners of the new prestige deep-sea container port in the Thames Estuary - the London Gateway.
Unite, the largest union in the country, will highlight the fact that Tilbury in Essex could lose out to London Gateway whose owners, the Dubai-based DP World, resolutely refuse to recognise Unite.
Unite argues that far from creating jobs the London Gateway could suck business and jobs from other UK ports, while at the same time undermining pay, and terms and conditions of its workforce due to lack of union recognition.
The demonstration will be from noon today at Tilbury, RM18 7HD. It will be outside Uniserve, the largest British privately owned international freight and logistics company in the UK, which has confirmed that it is hoping to be part of the London Gateway.
Unite regional officer Jane Jeffery said:
“The protest today is aimed at highlighting the fact that London Gateway could drain employment and business away from other UK docks.
“Unite believes that the refusal to recognise the union at London Gateway will mean a race to the bottom in terms of employment conditions.
