London / Brussels, 1600 / 1700 hrs, 27 September 2001
Denmark: We have received a report from our Danish affiliate to say that on 25 September they successfully organised a two-hour strike in ports all over Denmark, including Copenhagen. The action involved workers from ten different stevedoring companies.
Greece: Our Greek affiliates inform us that their activities on 25 September were a great success. In the port of Piraeus there was a work stoppage between 0800 and 1000hrs.
Netherlands:Our affiliate informs us that activities continued for third consecutive day in Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Work stoppages of two to three hours were organised, for discussions on the proposed directive. This time the agri-bulk (grain etc. ) terminal in Amsterdam was also involved. Until now all the employers / terminal operators have signed the declaration in support of the withdrawal of the proposed directive and in favour of the establishment of a platform for social dialogue within the EU port industry.
Portugal:We had received information from our affiliate FNSTP that on 25 September this union declared a three-hour strike between 1300 and 1600 hrs. The following ports observed the stoppage: Ponta Delgada (Azores); Horta (Azores); Angra (Azores); Aveiro; Figueira da Foz; Lisboa; Sines; and Faro.
Sweden:On 25 September the dock worker members our affiliate the Swedish Transport Workers’ Union held a two-hour strike in fifty-three of Sweden’s fifty-five ports.
Other news:Despite the fact that this Action Day only really involved affiliates from the European Union, we have received news that the Chief Executive of the Port Authority of Murmansk (Russia) made a statement on television referring to the Action Day. According to our information he said that he was proud that his dockers refused to participate in the ITF Action Day. Of course, our Russian affiliates were not even asked to participate, however this shows the level of interest this event has attracted from outside the EU, even in such a remote port as Murmansk!
Final remarks:From the point of view of organising and executing this Action Day, which has been our very first attempt at coordinating international industrial action in ports across Europe, we feel that it has been a great success. We can conclude that what our affiliated unions pledged in London on 17 July has been delivered, and in certain countries even more has been delivered. Indeed two-hour strikes took place in ports in Denmark, Finland, Greece, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. Work stoppages for rallies and discussions in canteens / union halls took place in Belgium, Netherlands and the UK. Affiliates in Italy travelled to Rome for discussions with politicians, including the Italian members of the European Parliament, while in Ireland the union organised a big rally in the capital. This means that affiliates representing more than 50,000 individual members were unanimous in condemning the proposal for an EU Directive aimed at increasing competition between and inside ports by - among others - allowing shipping companies to select their own personnel, by passing experienced, trained and recognized port workers. Many port workers even declared that they would be prepared to participate in more intense industrial action, should that be necessary.
SUBSTANDARD PORTS? NO!
www.itf.org.uk
