Dockers from 21 Mediterranean ports announce coordinated strike against military supplies on February 6

Dockers' unions from 21 Mediterranean ports are preparing for a general strike on February 6, 2026, in protest against the use of ports for military logistics and arms supplies.

Scope of the action and participants

The action will last for 24 hours and will affect Italian ports including Genoa, Livorno, Trieste, Ravenna, Ancona, Civitavecchia, Salerno, Bari, Crotone, Palermo, and Cagliari, as well as the ports of Piraeus and Elefsina in Greece, Bilbao and Pasajes/San Sebastián in the Basque Country, Mersin in Turkey, and Tangier in Morocco. The initiative was launched by the Italian union Unione Sindacale di Base (USB), joined by the Greek ENEDEP, LAB from the Basque Country, Turkish Liman-İş, and Moroccan ODT.

Goals of the protest

The organizers position the strike as a refusal to participate in military actions, including blocking arms supplies, particularly to Israel. Dockers state that they do not want to work for war and the militarization of the economy, which undermines social guarantees. USB representative Francesco Stacchioli emphasized that without opposing war, the struggle for labor rights is meaningless. Colleagues from Piraeus added that ports should serve as a barrier to the escalation of conflicts.

• The strike will cover the area from Tangier to Mersin.
• Work stoppages and demonstrations are planned.
• Support has come from unions in Germany, Brazil, the USA, and Venezuela.

Previously, European port unions had already blocked NATO cargoes in Italy. Kuehne+Nagel has warned clients of potential delays. The impact on maritime operations outside Italy remains unclear.