Workers with Rotterdam-based container stevedoring company ECT walked off the job early Wednesday afternoon after contract talks between the trade unions CNV and FNV and ECT management broke down Tuesday.
The job action by workers at one ECT terminal at Rotterdam Waalhaven came ahead of the unions’ threat of a Friday strike. ECT management has accused the unions of being unwilling to negotiate, and made a final offer of a 4.26% retroactive to April, plus 1% beginning next April and a guarantee for price compensation starting in June 2002.
The unions have countered by saying that the real value of the increases is not more than 3%, when it is compared with the earlier pay deal.
