Talks are taking place today to draw up contingency plans to deal with any industrial action at the Port of Dover.

Staff at the port have been discussing possible action in protest at plans to privatise their jobs.

The Mercury revealed in August that around 190 jobs could be axed after Dover Harbour Board decided to stop running its dockside operations in February 2009 and license them out to ferry operators or other third party organisations.

Among the areas affected are vessel mooring, linkspan operations, trailer handling services and goods loading.

The 190 affected staff have been told that job losses will be minimal and that their jobs will be transferred to the new supplier.

Police and port authorities have been drawing up plans to deal with any delays or congestion should industrial action take place.