Dockworkers Across Europe and Beyond Strike Against Arms Shipments and War Deaths
Dockworkers in 22 countries went on strike on Friday, disrupting shipping and ferries as they protested against the use of their ports for arms shipments and the number of seafarers killed in wars from the Gulf to the Black Sea. The strike, which covered 113 ports, was called in response to the increasing number of attacks on vessels and the rising cost of essential goods and energy due to ongoing conflicts.
The strike, originally called in Italy, France, Greece, Spain's Basque Country, Turkey, and Morocco, has now been backed by more than 25 unions. The protest targeted major shipping hubs in Piraeus, Valencia, Le Havre, Algeciras, and Genoa, as well as Morocco's Tangier Med and India's Nhava Sheva. The strike also affected ferry services to Greek islands, with about 3,000 dockworkers and seafarers joining the walkout.
The dockworkers are demanding pay rises, better working conditions, and the right to have doctors on board vessels crossing war zones. They also called for an end to the use of ports for arms shipments, citing the high number of casualties among seafarers. According to the Greek seafarers' union PENEN, there have been 570 attacks on vessels in the Black Sea so far this year, leaving 40 seafarers dead and hundreds wounded.
The strike is part of a global day of action against the war and genocide in the Gaza Strip. The Global Sumud Flotilla, a pro-Palestinian campaign group, said it would execute "coordinated, strategic actions on the water" to support the strike. Italian grassroots union Unione Sindacale di Base (USB) called a 24-hour general strike in Italy for the same day, with protests scheduled in over 40 cities.
The dockworkers' unions have also highlighted the rising cost of essential goods and energy due to the ongoing conflicts. "We can't even afford to fill the car with fuel to get to the supermarket," said George Gogos, head of the Piraeus port dockworkers' union.
The strike is a response to the Istanbul Declaration, published in May 2026, which demanded that port facilities not be used to transport weapons destined for war zones. European ports, particularly Italian harbours, have played a leading role in protests against arms shipments, frequently blocking cargo shipments bound for Israel and US military bases.
