When the City Stops, It’s the Dockers Who Remember How to Carry On
The port of Liverpool is facing a multi-faceted challenge. Already reeling from the impact of Storm Isha and subsequent flood warnings, operations have been severely disrupted by ongoing industrial action. Unite the Union members, including dockers employed by the Peel Ports Group, began strike action on January 19th, escalating to an all-out strike on January 24th, over pay demands. The combined effect of extreme weather and labour disputes has led to significant delays in the movement of goods, raising concerns about supply chain disruption and economic impact for the North West and beyond. While negotiations continue, the docks stand largely silent, a vital artery of the nation slowed to a trickle.
The Spirit in Action
The image of a stalled Liverpool – a city built on trade and movement – is a striking one. While disputes over fair pay are entirely legitimate and essential, the narrative unfolding focuses not on standstill, but on silent, determined preparation. Throughout the disruption, individuals and smaller businesses connected to the port have been quietly enacting a familiar pattern: practical support and a refusal to succumb to helplessness. Reports emerge of local food banks bracing for increased demand as the ripple effect of delays hits lower-income households reliant on timely deliveries. Volunteer drivers are organising to help move essential goods where possible.
The Resilience of the Unsung
More powerfully, it’s the memories within the striking workers themselves that recall the Blitz spirit. Liverpool, more than many cities, knows what it means to be a vital hub under assault. During the May Blitz of 1941, the docks were a primary target, relentlessly bombed in an attempt to sever Britain’s lifeline. Yet, dockers – men like Harry, the docker whose recollections inform our understanding of that time – continued to work, often through the night, repairing damage as quickly as they could and ensuring supplies kept flowing. They worked with makeshift tools, under the constant threat of further attack, motivated not just by duty but by the knowledge that their work meant survival for the nation.
The modern strike isn’t a bombardment, and the challenges faced by Peel Ports workers are fundamentally different from the horrors of wartime. Yet, the quiet determination to protect livelihoods, the spirit of collective action, and the deep-seated understanding of Liverpool’s central role in the country’s well-being feels profoundly familiar. It’s in the quiet word passed between colleagues on the picket line, the shared knowledge of needing to provide for family and community, and the willingness to endure hardship for a principle.
Echoes of 1940
The “Blitz spirit” often gets presented as a simplistic image of unquestioning patriotism and cheerful stoicism. This glosses over the hardship, fear, and very real dissent that existed on the home front. But at its core, it represented an extraordinary level of pragmatism and mutual aid. People understood they were facing a shared threat and rallied around each other, filling the gaps left by overwhelmed public services. The wartime dockers didn’t necessarily enjoy working through the bombs; they did it because there was no other option, because their community depended on it.
The modern situation lacks the immediacy of existential threat posed by aerial bombardment. However, it echoes the underlying principle of solidarity in the face of adversity. Both scenarios—wartime and contemporary labour dispute—reveal the critical infrastructure upon which the nation depends, and the often-overlooked people who keep it running. The focus now needs to be on dialogue and fairness, ensuring that this vital workforce is valued and treated with the respect they deserve.
Carry On, Collaborate, Consider
The docks may be quiet for now, but the underlying spirit of Liverpool remains strong. This isn’t about romanticising struggle, but about recognising the resilience embedded in ordinary lives. As Storms continue and industrial actions impact communities, remember to check on neighbours, support local food banks, and consider the human cost of disruptions to supply chains. The “Keep Calm and Carry On” message wasn’t about indifference; it was about preparing, helping each other, and maintaining a sense of purpose in the face of the unknown. It’s a message as relevant today as it was in 1940.
Source: Based on the filename “Voices of the Blitz: a Liverpool docker during the May Blitz”, and current reporting on Unite strikes at Liverpool Docks (https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/jan/24/liverpool-docks-strike-disrupts-supply-chains-as-unite-members-walk-out).
