Dockworkers on strike against European Directive’s approval
The mobilisations in European ports against the possible approval of the EU Port Services Directive has lived another day of success. After the French ports unanimously followed the strike (they stopped for 24 hours) as well as the Spanish ports (with a 4 hour stop), the Portuguese and Greek dock workers also stopped their activities (2 and 4 hours each). Dockworkers in Cyprus will strike on the 19th (2 hours), showing the success of this action amongst dock workers in all Europe. The strike will extend to all the ports on the continent with a clear message: the rejection to a Directive which only defends the interests of a reduced number of shipbuilders. The capacity of mobilisation of the International Dockworkers Council (IDC), which unites all the ports on strike, is showing a key role defending the harbour profession.
The support to the European dockworkers in their fight against the text of the EU Port Services Directive has new allies: the workers in Saint John, Canada. This port stopped for 24 hours in an action that reinforces solidarity between dock workers on both sides of the Atlantic.
The European port sector faces a crucial moment. The future of thousands of workers and the stability of a key economic sector depend on what happens this week. On Thursday 20th of November, the 626 MPs of the European Parliament will vote in favour or against the EU Port Services Directive regarding the access to the market of the harbour services. If the Directive is approved, the consequences in the ports will be fatal, with a terrible increase of accidents, also an increase of prices, and reduction of free competition. On the other hand, if the Directive is rejected, it will mean the opening of a way out aimed to establish a new consensus to articulate the interests of both parties.
The IDC has expressed personally to each one of the 626 Euro MPs the main dangers for the harbour sector. The terms in which the Directive is going to be approved establish “self-handling” as a main factor. These terms have been widely rejected by the totality of the groups working in the ports, in a wave of solidarity that has succeeded in crossing borders generating an organised movement of defense of the dockworker profession. The concept of “self-handling” would allow the shipping companies to work without professional dockworkers triggering an increase of labour accidents, raising the price of the services and reducing free competition. The directive wouldn’t respect at all the original spirit of the European Union.
The pilotage would also be harmed, since the levels of professional demand would be reduced to the minimum. Not even disasters like the one of the Prestige, the worst ecological catastrophe on the coasts of the European Union, seem to have led to a deep reflection on the necessity of a better management of sea transport. The elimination of the rules that regulate the pilotage can only multiply the possibilities of another accident similar to the one of the Prestige.
The 20th of November will mark a before and an after for the ports. The IDC expresses its desire that the “after” is marked by the consensus and respect of the interests of the workers and the citizenship. If, in spite of everything, the economic interests of a reduced number of companies prevail, the European dock workers will continue fighting for their rights.
