In A First, Over 100 ITF Staff Strike Over Job Cuts and Pay Dispute In London Headquarters

More than 100 employees at the London headquarters of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) have gone on strike for the first time, following management plans to restructure the organisation and cut a quarter of its workforce this year.

The strike, supported by the Unite union, began on September 15 and is scheduled to continue at least until September 18. Unite has warned that industrial action could persist if negotiations fail to progress.

The strike comes after ITF staff rejected a new management proposal, with 72 percent voting against it. Earlier, in July 2025, employees held their first-ever strike vote, with 89 percent supporting a full strike and 90 percent backing action short of a strike. Union officials had planned one-day strikes on July 22 and 29 but delayed them after management promised to continue talks.

Unite said the ITF’s restructuring has caused “massive stress and anxiety” for staff. The union also argued that the proposal could unfairly impact women, since most management roles are held by men.

Staff have been following a work-to-rule and overtime ban since mid-July. Unite claims management suggested freezing staff pay while increasing senior management salaries. ITF denied this, saying the pay freeze had already been in place before restructuring began.

The union pointed out that ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton received total compensation of £309,000 ($421,000) in 2024, making him one of the highest-paid trade union leaders in the world.

The strike involves both a physical picket line outside the London office and a virtual picket line worldwide, including during ITF’s Maritime Roundtable in Cyprus, showing the global reach of the federation’s work.

Union leaders said the dispute could be resolved without forced job cuts if management agreed to a fair and open consultation process.

ITF spokespersons said they were disappointed by the strike, noting that staff had rejected a proposal presented last week despite months of talks. They added that management is still ready to keep negotiating with employee representatives.

Reference: unitetheunion

Source: Maritime Shipping News