To all political parties and groupings in the European Parliament
KM/al/28-8europarl
28 August 2001
To whom it may concern,
SUBSTANDARD PORTS? NO!
In addition to previous communications (please see annex) on the proposed directive on market access to port services in the European Union, we would like to take this opportunity to present to you a summary of our opinion on the current text.
Contrary to the information distributed by the Commission, neither the ETF nor the ITF, nor indeed the ITF/ETF’s affiliates have been consulted on any of the drafts of the proposal. All communication between ourselves and the Commission on matters relating to cargo handling ended after the final discussion about the Green Paper on Sea Ports and Maritime Infrastructure. This discussion – and thus the consultation process – was concluded when the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the Green Paper in February 1999. With regard to the short questionnaire we received from the Commission, we do not recognise this as a serious attempt to consult or communicate with us. Despite the extreme short notice we were given, the ETF responded to the ten questions, but later we found out that our response was not acknowledged. As you know the EU port industry unfortunately still lacks a formal platform for social dialogue.
The ITF, along with its European arm the ETF and all affiliated European port workers’ unions, condemns the attempts by the European Commission to force EU ports to increase competition.
We are not fighting the principle of competition, but we denounce this particular attempt because the policies proposed by the Commission seriously endanger EU ports. If accepted by the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament the directive will degenerate the working conditions of port workers, threaten their employment, jeopardise their health and safety, slash their vocational training and weaken their skills. Subsequently the Commission’s policies will seriously harm the quality of the service provided to port users, that is to say shipping lines and shippers. The result will be the introduction of substandard ports.
We already know the disastrous effect that substandard shipping has on the maritime industry and on the environment. Substandard shipping companies – of which there are far too many – will do everything they can to force the “competent authorities” to accept lower standards for ports in certain areas and in certain circumstances. They will wait for the right time, the right place and the right people, and then they will strike. Some governments will try to resist them; other governments will be forced to cooperate. Inevitably, a number of them will collaborate willingly in pursuit of fast gain and short-term benefits. In an environment of increasing competition, somewhere in the EU – in the north, the south, the west or the east – the introduction of a substandard port will be accepted. From there the disease will spread. Accepting the proposals as put forward by the European Commission will open the door for substandard ports, even if that was not the intention of the Commission.
Unfortunately the Commissioner for Transport and her advisors do not know the maritime industry and its history well enough to understand that their proposals will plunge the port industry into an unacceptably risky situation. It should not only be the ITF/ETF and the trade union movement opposing the proposed policies, but all the other stake holders – such as port authorities, private terminal operators, shipping lines and even shippers – should also oppose the current text of the proposal. Those bona fide shipping lines, which currently pledge not to use untrained and inexperienced port workers – or “cowboys” as they are often known – to handle cargo, will be faced with cut-throat competition from unscrupulous ship owners, who could in the future be famous for their use of substandard ports as well as their substandard ships. Ultimately those bona fide shipping lines will too have to seek out cheaper port services and will end up having to accept lower standards. As a result they will try to lower port workers’ working conditions, eliminate experienced and trained workers as being too expensive and lower standards of health and safety. And they will forget about skills and training. No doubt, at that stage they will indeed try to hire the “cowboys” they previously avoided. All of these events and developments will inevitably lead to many years of long and bitter labour disputes in EU ports.
We urgently ask you to put a stop to this before it is too late! We neither want nor need substandard ports!
Yours sincerely, on behalf of the ITF, the ETF and ITF/ETF affiliated unions,
Kees Marges
Dockers’ Section Secretary
