Dockers take action in Dutch port

http://www.itfglobal.org/news-online/index.cfm/newsdetail/5783

17/03/2011

Dockers in the Dutch port of Rotterdam have been taking industrial action over pay and conditions; the move follows an employer decision to cancel collective bargaining negotiations.

Led by their union, the ITF-affiliated union FNV Bondgenoten, the workers who lash and secure cargo, have been on strike in Rotterdam since 8 March. On 12, 13 and 14 March, they held meetings in front of the port’s Delta terminal and Uniport, where they distributed leaflets to workers employed in Hutchison Port Holdings’ ECT terminal and the APM terminal owned by the AP Moller-Maersk Group. The companies are customers of lashing and securing service companies ILS and Matrans Group.

The workers are protesting over Matrans Group’s plans to pay lashers employed after 2006 less than colleagues who were employed earlier; meanwhile, ILS is requesting lashers to work more flexibly. The workers are demanding equal pay for equal work, an acceptable level of flexibility and job security for all, regardless of when they were employed. Both companies cancelled collective bargaining talks, reneging on an earlier agreement to negotiate with the union.

Niek Stam of FNV Bondgenoten stated: “We do not go on strike lightly, but the employers have to understand that we are reaching for this last resort weapon, because this matter must be dealt with. These workers only want their labour conditions settled. We are just tired of this.”