02/09/2026
Dockworkers across the Mediterranean Sea staged a coordinated strike on 6 February, halting operations in more than 20 ports. The action targeted ports in Greece, Türkiye, Italy, and the Basque Country and was organized to protest Israel’s genocide in Ga-za, as well as the privatization and militarization of port infrastructure. Ahead of the strike, ships described by organizers as regularly transporting military cargo to Israel altered their routes.
Demonstrations took place in multiple ports, including rallies organized by the Liman-İş Sendikası in Türkiye and coordinated actions in Greece, where dockworkers cited concerns over safety conditions and public spending priorities. In Italy, strikes occurred across more than a dozen ports, involving dockworkers, port employees, students, and members of the public. Reports from ports including Trieste, Bari, Ravenna, and Genoa stated that port infrastructure was being used to transport military or dual-use materials to Israel.
Union statements described the mobilization as part of broader labor action, with participants indicating plans for continued escalation. The World Federation of Trade Unions issued a solidarity statement endorsing the strike under the banner “Dockworkers Don’t Work for War.” The strike took place one day after the Global Sumud Flotilla announced a new civilian aid mission for Ga-za scheduled to depart on 29 March, with a maritime route beginning in Barcelona and passing through multiple Mediterranean ports.
