Scotland’s largest container port has been hit by industrial action as workers walked out in a dispute over shift changes and pay.
A total of 78 staff at Port of Grangemouth’s container terminal began the first of two weeks of strike action on Tuesday.
The port’s quayside container operation was closed at midnight on Monday as staff from the “operatives” pool which includes quayside crane drivers and container loaders began their strike.
Other activities at the port continued as normal.
The Unite union said the action is being taken as the new shift patterns meant workers could be left up to £1,800-a-year out of pocket with a 25% increase in weekend shift work for operatives while overtime pay rates were being ditched. It said the plan would also decrease the night shift.
Unite regional officer Sandy Smart said: “We have repeatedly approached the employer in an effort to resolve this situation and avoid a damaging dispute but we have been stonewalled at every turn.
“The anger of our members is clear in the overwhelming support for strikes and their demands for proper negotiations concerning the future of their livelihoods.”
A spokesperson for the Port of Grangemouth said: “We are disappointed that Unite has decided to take this unjustified action…
“Vessels call at the port seven days a week and we need to be able to service those vessels. Our staff and their union accepted the need for such flexibility, and that shift patterns may require to change in the future, when this element of their employment contracts was agreed in 2011.”