The following information is translated from Informare, and reflects the employers’ perspective on the industrial action.
Informare, 13 March 2000
http://www.informare.it/news/gennews/2000/20000430.asp
The latest negotiations have failed between the Assologistica (the association of almost all the private terminals) and the union organisations, which seek a single agreement (the current agreement expired some 15 months ago) for all Italian port workers.
On Wednesday 15 March, a 24 hour strike will take place in all Italian ports; morever, from today until Friday 17 the workers employed by the port companies belonging to the Assologistica will stop each first hour and each last hour of their shifts. The unions have also called a 48 hour strike on 15 and 16 March in all Assologistica companies which carry out non-dock work (general warehousing, internal terminals and other installations).
On Wednesday 15 March, the day of the national strike, the unions have called a national demonstration in Genoa in support of their demands, which in reality other counterparts, that is Assoporti (the Association of National Port Entities) and FISE (Federation of Service Companies) have shown a willingness to discuss.
Informare 15 March 2000
http://www.informare.it/news/gennews/2000/20000444.asp
In response to today’s strike by portworkers, which had demonstrated their power with a cortege stretching from the Maritime Station to the Port Authority, the companies of the Genoa terminals decisively declared that the position of the Assologistica (the National Association of Logistics which also represents the terminals sector) has always been aimed towards the reformulation of CCNL 4-5-1995, of which it is a signatory along with the transport unions and which contains a specific clause for the unification of the existing multiple standards. The terminal companies effectively accuse the unions of having caused the breakdown of the current talks for the stipulation of a CCNL valid for all portworkers.
“With a great sense of responsibility, ” affirmed the Genoa terminals,“Assologistica has participated in the national negotiations together with various other corporate entities (Assoporti, the Association of National Port Entities) and FISE (Federation of Service Companies) and has done so despite the presence of objective differences of position and industrial sector. ”
As evidence that the terminals wish to reach an accord for a collective agreement and to move beyond the paralysis caused by the rigidity of their trade union counterparts, the Genoa companies state that they consider as a priority the renegotiation of CCNL Assologistica 4-5-1995 with a section dedicated to the area of port terminals and in this way bring about the unification of contractual standards applied by the company and its own workforce, as part of this agreement.
