Regional Labour Tribunal conciliation hearing today
SANTOS - The Santos dockworkers - those who work outside the ships - began an indefinite strike yesterday. They demand compliance with the Regional Labour Tribunal (TRT) decision which awarded a 7% wage rise, backdated to March. They also demand transport and mealtime allowances, and night bonus.
Less extensive than the stevedores’ action last week - which halted the port for 3 days - the stoppage affects all movement of merchandise requiring the involvement of men on the ground. The strike will be discussed this afternoon in a TRT instruction and conciliation hearing.
Twenty two ships were moored on the quay yesterday, but only nine worked normally: five in private terminals with their own workforce, and four in the public terminals handling grain(?) liquids and wheat, which do not require dockworkers.The Union of Port Operators (Sopesp) executive director José dos Santos Martins, defended negotiations as a better way of resolving the conflict. “The main solution is not judicial, but negotiated, “ he said, lamenting the fact that as of last night the workers had still not responded to the counterproposal. “Unfortunately the workers opted for a strike at this point near the end of the year, causing great damage to imports, exports, operators and for the workers themselves, who go without work. “
