The Marseille dockers site (in French) is: http://perso.infonie.fr/dockermarseille/index.htm
Hi Newspaper Nick,
I must say that I find it really refreshing every time I hear of dockers kicking back somewhere and our colleagues in Marseilles and Fos have certainly been doing that!
The issues at hand for the CGT Dockers are not only shorter hours, but also pay and conditions as well as privatisation and it would seem that most of the problems have now been successfully negotiated.
I hope we’ll be hearing from CGT Marseilles soon with a report - in the meantime you might like to check an article I’ve clipped from Lloyd’s List:
Fraternally
Peter Shaw
Newspaper Nick wrote on 25 Nov 2001:
I find it interesting that the dockers of marseilles france, are on strike for the 35 hour week. we work more, they want to work less. the strike is now 10 days old. the port is shut down tight. their website is - cgt dockers-
best wishes
newspaper nick
Andrew Spurrier in Paris
Monday November 26 2001
PORT workers at Marseilles and its Fos deepwater facility are set to call off their 12-day old strike today, bringing to an end a bitterly fought dispute which was marked by violent incidents last week.
The agreement reached between port management and union leaders in the early hours of yesterday is due to be voted on by port personnel today, but union leaders have already agreed to lift the blockade of road access to the port’s cargo terminals imposed on Thursday.
With more than 30 tankers waiting off Fos, port executives were organising the unloading of cargoes most urgently needed by the four local refineries. Priority was being given to restarting supplies to the Esso refinery which was close to shutdown.
Details of the settlement were not available yesterday but it is likely to incorporate agreements reached in the course of negotiations last week, as well as a compromise on the main remaining obstacle to agreement - the proposed “privatisation” by the port of a berth at one of its main oil terminals.
It is understood that the agreement provides for the berth concerned to be operated by TotalFinaElf chemicals subsidiary, Atofina, as agreed by the port and company, but under the surveillance of port personnel.
This issue, along with claims for higher salaries, increased time-off and early retirement provisions, was at the origin of a strike by port personnel at Marseilles’ two main oil terminals at Fos and Lavera.
The 200 strikers were joined at the start of last week by port authority-employed crane drivers and other personnel who blocked road access to all the port’s main cargo terminals, preventing all but ferries and geared vessels from being loaded and unloaded.
The blockade was called off for the first time on Wednesday following court action by the port and the resumption of negotiations between the port and union leaders under the supervisions of a government-appointed mediator.
The strike itself continued, however, and when the results of the negotiations were rejected by port personnel on Thursday morning, the blockade was resumed.
“Commandos” wearing balaclavas and wielding clubs took control of terminals at Marseilles on Thursday evening, blocking accesses, cutting cables attached to video-surveillance equipment and intimidating executives and non-strikers.
Port authority chairman, Jacques Truau, denounced a “climate of insurrection” at the port, which he said had been taken over by “commandos and mafia-types”.
Union leaders denied accusations of violence, claiming that they had “simply made secure” port installations in response to attempts by road hauliers to intimidate them.
The port indicated yesterday, however, that it would be proceeding with legal action against individuals involved in violence.
