IDC advocates dialogue. The workers regret the haste in producing the text
At their meeting in Barcelona, the dockworkers of the IDC’s European Zone rejected the way in which the European Commission for Transport is managing its Directive on Access to Port Services. The IDC regrets the haste in which the document is being produced and the practical absence of dialogue with trade union organisations. For the IDC, the intention to reduce workers’ labour rights and completely deregulate the European port system, which would fall into the hands of the large shipping companies, is behind this process. Faced with this situation, dockworkers from eight European countries have decided to call a 4-hour stoppage on 6 October in order to attract attention to a process repeating the same errors as the previous Directive, which was rejected in the European Parliament European in November 2003.
Despite the fact that not even two years have passed since the first Directive was rejected, the European Commission for Transport has decided to accelerate the process for preparing the new text, which in the opinion of the workers repeats the same innate errors as the previous one - a lack of social dialogue and hurried preparation. The dockworkers meeting in Barcelona expressed their concern and repeated their willingness to engage in a dialogue to obtain a high degree of consensus. The IDC’s basic premise, as stated by its General Co-ordinator, Julián Garcia is: “No change of the port system is possible behind the workers’ backs. They must listen to us”.
Despite the failure of the text proposed by the speaker, Germany’s Georg Jarzembowki, to mention “self-handling”, the door has been left open for Member states to introduce it, which would be a serious threat to dockworkers in all the European ports. For workers, the fact that States can introduce “self-handling” would open the Pandora’s box of social dumping and would lead to a worsening of working conditions which would dismantle the current port system.
Whatever the legislation governing European courts, the IDC wants it to respect requirements in the areas of staff recruitment, the application of employment legislation and collective agreement. In other words, the necessary measures should be taken so that workers’ employment rights are protected, which as far as the IDC is concerned, is something that always benefits the port system as a whole. The IDC is also asking for a clear definition of who can work as dockworkers, which should lead to professional qualifications and effective recognition of the dockworkers’ profession throughout the European Union.
The delegates of the European Zone of the IDC were also very concerned that the door should not be left open to failure to comply with workplace risk prevention legislation. In this area, the workers are particularly worried that the text of the Directive allows companies involved in the construction of a port to establish their own working conditions. For the IDC, this would lead inexorably to a system based on unfair competition, starting with a general cutback in workers’ rights.
The workers’ degree of concern was shown in the calling of a four-hour stoppage for Thursday, 6 October. With this measure, the European dockworkers aim to attract attention to a process of production of the Directive, that they feel is highly negative. The stoppage will affect the main ports of member countries of the IDC in Europe: Cyprus, Slovenia, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Sweden. The Barcelona meeting was attended by delegations from the port unions of Segdamelin Peo from Cyprus, Spain’s La Coordinadora, the Basque LAB, the French CGT, the Port Workers Union of Piraeus, the Port Companies Union of Genoa and Civitavecchia, the National Federation of Portworkers of Portugal and the islands of Madeira, and the Swedish Dockworkers Union. The only delegates absent were those from the Slovenian port of Koper and from Savona in Italy, although they presumably will also support the measures taken by the IDC.
The delegates present in Barcelona outlined a joint strategy which will hereafter establish the IDC as part of the process involved in the European Directive until its approval or rejection by the European Parliament. In fact, the meeting of the European Zone of the IDC clearly show the workers’ firm commitment to defend the dockworkers’ profession by means of respect for employment and risk prevention legislation. The IDC wishes to promote a frank dialogue with the other agents involved in preparing the Directive, which can only be feasible if it is based on consensus. The IDC will work towards this in the coming months.
