To IDC Affiliates and all our union friends around the world
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The European Commission was given in 1997 by Parliament, the task of drafting proposals aimed at improving efficiency in the European port industry.
To this effect, the Commission’s relevant body, the Director Generate for Transport and Energy (DG-TREN) was to examine issues upon which a Directive could be based.
When their work was presented earlier this year in a document entitled “Reinforcing Quality Service in Sea Ports: A Key for European Transport ” many of us were astounded to find that the most important issue, that of creating conditions for a level playing field, was almost completely left out. The scope of the proposals concentrated nearly wholly on new issues: the necessity to deregulate cargo handling and of giving the employers rights to hire whoever they wished.
DG-TREN’s proposals were clearly anti-union, designed for the benefit of ship-owners and shippers, primarily to remove organised labour from the docks.
The IDC’s European Section, being fully aware of European Community law, has in no way opposed the basic concepts of market access and free competition, but has produced several documents which clearly prove that the Commissions proposals as in Article 6.5 (employers rights) and in Article 11 (self handling) would be in breach of International, Community and in many cases, National labour legislation.
On October 10 the first hearing took place in the Transport Committee of the EU-Parliament. Votes were taken on counter proposals put forward by the Parliament’s Rapporteur, Dr. Georg Jarzembowski. In his proposals, the main thrust was once again to be on competition between ports. In line with Parliament’s original intention, cargo handling was not included in his list of port services to be deregulated. Jarzembowski’s draft constituted a reasonable compromise for the unions and at the same time, satisfied most port-owners. The voting was complicated however by the enormous amount of amendments (276) and resulted in confusion as to just what had been decided and/or rejected! Jarzembowski has now to prepare a new set of proposals to be presented to Parliament in the middle of November. While it remains unclear as to how the proposals will read, it seems certain that cargo handling will be included, as will Articles 6.5 and 11. Ship-owners and shippers with their intensive lobbying seem to have won the first round!
European Dockworkers are obviously now under a very serious threat and, in light of this, the IDC has decided to recommend strike action to hammer home our points of view. We have called for a 24-hour stoppage starting from the first shift on Tuesday, November 6. Dockers unions representing many ports in Europe have already responded to the call. Others, having problems with national industrial legislation, are planning alternative actions and hopefully, unions not affiliated to IDC will also join in to help make November 6 a manifestation of Dockers strength and unity.
To be successful in the long-term fight ahead of us however, we are also going to have to rely on support from our brothers and sisters outside of Europe. Hopefully you will help us now by sending messages of support. It would also be of great help if letters were sent to the European Commission and Parliament condemning the anti-union Articles 6.5 and 11.
Yours in solidarity.
| Julián Garcia General Co-ordinator | Björn Borg European Zone Co-ordinator |
