Dockworkers worldwide strike against arms shipments and to demand better working conditions

PARIS — Dockworkers in Europe and beyond were striking on Friday as part of an international campaign against arms shipments and for better working conditions, unions said.

Unions in France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Turkey and Morocco issued a joint call for an end to wars in the Middle East, including the war in Gaza, and "an end to the militarization of ports."

"Ports must not be used for the transport of weapons, ammunition, military equipment and troops," the statement said. "Dockworkers do not work for war!"

Organizers said more than 100 ports across several countries had joined the protests, which could disrupt operations in Europe, the Mediterranean region and North America.

In Greece, dockworkers' unions called a strike at Piraeus, the country's largest port. A separate seafarers' strike over pay, working conditions and safety kept ships docked at several ports, disrupting ferry services.

Giorgos Gogos, president of the Dockworkers Union of Piraeus Port Authority, said: "We don't want to participate in any war, all around the world. We don't want our ports to be hubs of military material, transferred so as to kill people."

In Turkey, protesters gathered outside Istanbul's Haydarpasa port beneath a banner reading: "No to war, no to armament!"

In Italy, demonstrations were planned in key ports, including Genoa, Trieste and Gioia Tauro, to coincide with a nationwide general strike, according to the Unione Sindacale di Base (USB).

Tens of thousands of people demonstrated across Italy on Friday over high prices and other issues. But the general strike caused less transport disruption than anticipated after the government ordered transport workers back to work.

France's CGT ports and docks federation called a one-day strike at major ports, including Le Havre, Marseille, Dunkirk and Rouen. The federation opposes what it calls "the militarization of port facilities" under European policies and the French government's budget proposals, which it says threaten social protections.

The scale of disruption remained unclear. Organizers said participation would range from full-day strikes to shorter walkouts and demonstrations.

Supply chain management company C.H. Robinson warned clients of possible operational disruptions and shipment delays, with the impact varying by port, terminal and level of participation.

Experts expected the impact on global supply chains to be limited.

Marcus Baker, global head of marine, cargo and logistics at insurance broker and risk adviser Marsh, said a 24-hour strike was unlikely to significantly disrupt global trade, though it could affect perishable goods and time-sensitive shipments.

He said the action would further complicate supply chains already strained by Middle East tensions, climate-related events including El Niño, restrictions affecting the Rhine and Panama Canal, and shifting tariffs.

Judah Levine, head of research at online shipping marketplace Freightos, said the strike could worsen congestion at ports such as Genoa, where vessels already face waits of one to two days for a berth.

Ed Anderson, a professor of supply chain and operations management at the University of Texas' McCombs School of Business, said the protests were unlikely to cause outright shortages.

"Just one day is not that much in terms of disruption," he said.

Related topics