Dockworkers launch global strike against Israeli and US military shipments (VIDEOS)
Dockworkers across five continents have launched a coordinated anti-war strike targeting Israeli arms shipments and US military cargo, with more than 25 unions mobilizing across 113 ports in 22 countries and regions.
The coordinated action, organized under the banner 'Port Workers Do Not Work for War,' includes major European ports such as Genoa, Marseille, Le Havre, Hamburg, Valencia, Barcelona, and Piraeus. Beyond Europe, protests are planned at Tangier Med in Morocco, Nhava Sheva and Chennai in India, and Oakland and San Francisco in the US, with further actions across Türkiye, Cyprus, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Brazil, Mexico, and Australia.
France's CGT Ports et Docks has called 24-hour strikes across 24 ports, while Italy's USB has declared a nationwide general strike with protests in more than 40 cities. Dockworkers at Piraeus, Greece's largest port, were among the first to join the action, with a three-hour stoppage scheduled from 08:00 to 11:00 GMT.
Demands and Targets
The unions demand a halt to weapons, ammunition, military equipment, and troop shipments through commercial ports, targeting both Israeli and US military supply chains. They also oppose turning civilian ports into military hubs and diverting public funds into rearmament while workers face stagnant wages and worsening conditions.
From planes to tanks, guns to bullets, explosives to ammunition, uniforms to boots, our ports have become replenishing and forwarding bases for war and genocide.
The campaign 'No Harbour for Genocide' claims it tracked 315 shipments of components for Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems through 56 ports in 29 countries over 14 months, and 3,400 shipments of US military cargo through 67 ports in 42 countries over ten months. The group also says US military cargo volumes at some European ports rose as much as tenfold following the start of the US-Israeli war against Iran.
Scale of Impact
Organizers estimate the action could delay 40,000 containers carrying cargo worth over $2 billion, potentially costing shipping companies up to $43 million. Videos of demonstrations and gatherings have emerged online, though the full extent of disruption to shipping operations remains unclear as actions are taking place at different times.
The movement gained momentum in late 2025 after Israel intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, a 40-plus-vessel convoy attempting to deliver aid to blockaded Gaza. Hundreds of activists were detained, sparking strikes and port blockades across Europe. The flotilla campaign also pledged to join the action with coordinated actions on the water.
Historic Coordination
Dockworkers have challenged military shipments for years, though resistance was largely scattered. International coordination intensified in February when dockworkers at more than 20 ports across seven countries staged their first joint day of action, reportedly stopping five suspect ships.
In May, dockworkers' unions from France, Greece, Italy, Türkiye, Morocco, and Spain's Basque Country adopted the Istanbul Declaration, pledging to block military cargo and troop shipments to war zones, including those supporting Israel and US military operations. This agreement laid the groundwork for Friday's global strike.
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