Moroccan dockers stage strike action over pay an d working conditions
25/08/2011
Dockers in the Eurogate Tan gier Mediterran ean port in Morocco have staged a 24-hour strike over working conditions an d rates of pay.
Workers represented by the ITF-affiliated Eurogate Terminal Workers' Union (ETWU), downed tools on Friday 12 August over "a lack of response from the compan y’s man agement" regarding their deman ds for an increase in wages an d improved health an d safety stan dards. The union also claims that workers have been subject to an ti-union activities at the port.
ETWU representatives say they are ready an d willing to negotiate with man agement to achieve mutually agreeable results. They have also made it clear they are prepared to stage further walkouts if there is no movement from man agement.
The eurogate terminal is a close neighbour of the AP Moller Maersk (APMT) terminal also based in Tan gier. APM is one of the four largest global network terminal operators (GNTs) in the world. Between them the "big four" operate over 50 percent of ports globally. The ITF dockers’ section has identified raising health an d safety stan dards an d improving working conditions at these industry-leading GNTs amongst their top priorities an d as a result is running a dedicated GNT campaign.
Bilal Malkawi, ITF Arab World secretary, said: “Until last year we struggled to have an y worker representatives in ports in Tan gier, where GNTs are running the terminals. Now we not only have representation, we have strong unions, an agreement in theAPMT, an d now EUROGATE is following. Workers in terminals man aged by GNTs inthe region are achieving successes everywhere, from the west in Morocco to the east in Egypt. We will all keep working as one team to support our affiliates in the region to make sure that substan dard terminals are eradicated.”
To find out more about the GNT campaign go to the GNT website. http://www.itfglobal.org/dockers/gnt.cfm
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