Members of the ITF affiliated Dockers Union of Russia (DUR) have been constantly and clearly discriminated against by their employers, with the collusion of the authorities, since October 1997 when the union legitimately took strike action in defence of its members interests.
Following this strike, the port company took the union to court in a failed attempt to have the action declared illegal. Members of the DUR were subsequently separated from other workers and put in DUR-only gangs which were given the worst jobs. These actions constitute violations of the fundamental right to freedom of association, as laid down by the International Labour Organisation, which states that no person shall be prejudiced in his/her employment by reason of trade union membership or activities.
Other violations of basic human and trade union rights followed.
As a result, 180 workers have lost their livelihoods since October 1997.
These aggressive and discriminatory methods were clearly aimed to challenge the existence of the Dockers Union of Russia.
In December 1997, the union launched a legal case on the basis of discrimination which has not been yet been considered, encouraging the port company to continue ignoring the law.
In November 1998 DUR staged a three-day picket outside the premises of the local authorities, to draw the attention the Kaliningrad Governor, Leonid Gorbenko, yet again without results. This could be linked to the fact that 50 per cent of the port s shares are owned by companies either belonging to or under the control of the Kaliningrad Vice-Governor M. Karetny.
On 29 January 1999, the ITF wrote to the port’s Managing Director, the governor of Kaliningrad and decision makers demanding that free and fair industrial relations operate at the port of Kaliningrad, warning that if the situation is not rectified, “the ITF will have no alternative but include Kaliningrad in its campaign on anti-union policies in the port industry, agreed in Miami in June 1997 where trade unions signed an International Solidarity Contract, pledging mutual support.”
Please support the Kaliningrad dockers, by writing to:
Mikhail Y. Chesalin, Chairman of Dockers Trade Union Committee Closed Joint-Stock Company “Commercial Sea Port of Kaliningrad”
Flat 13
17, Internationalnaya St,
236011, Kaliningrad
RUSSIA
Phone: Office: (+70112) 49 92 84
Vladimir V. Kalinichenko, Managing Director Closed Joint-Stock Company “Merchant Sea Port of Kaliningrad”
24, Portovaya St
236003, Kaliningrad
RUSSIA
Phone: (+70112) 44 43 06;
Fax: (+70112) 44 45 22, (+70112) 44 63 18;
E-mail: scport@online.ru
Leonid P. Gorbenko,
Governor of Kalinigrad Region,
1, Dmitry Donskoi St.
236007 Kaliningrad
RUSSIA
Phone: (+70112) 46 75 45;
Fax: (+70112) 46 35 54.
Yuri A. Savenko,
Mayor of City of Kaliningrad,
1, Pobeda Square
236040 Kaliningrad,
RUSSIA
Phone: (+70112) 21 67 29;
Fax: (+70112) 21 16 77.
Alexander V. Orlov,
Representative of President of Russia in Kaliningrad Region, 1, Dmitry Donskoi St.
236007 Kaliningrad,
RUSSIA
Phone: (+70112) 46 46 32;
Fax: (+70112) 46 15 26.
Valery N. Oustiugov, Chairman of Kaliningrad Regional Duma,
17, Kirov St
236000 Kaliningrad,
RUSSIA
Phone: (+70112) 22 84 39;
Fax: (01112) 22 84 82.
