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ITF condemns Moroccan court decision

http://www.itfglobal.org/news-online/index.cfm/newsdetail/8556

21 February 2013

The ITF has condemned as ‘utterly unbelievable’ a totally unexpected decision by a Moroccan court to sentence trade union leaders Said Elhairech and Mohamed Chamchati to jail terms.

The criminal Court of First Instance in Rabat yesterday sentenced to one year in jail Elhairech, the general secretary of the Moroccan Ports Union, part of the ITF-affiliated UMT, and chair of the ITF Arab World regional committee. He will appeal against the charges of participating in obstructing freedom of action according to article 288 of the Moroccan Criminal Code (criminalisation of trade union action).

The same court has reportedly also sentenced Mohamed Chamchati, general secretary of the Moroccan merchant seafarers’ union, to two and a half years’ imprisonment. More details of the charges are expected soon.

Elhairech was released in October 2012 with his innocence proven and all charges dropped, except one minor one, following his arrest for ‘sabotage and endangering national security’ in June that year. He had utterly rejected the charges and the ITF was unequivocal in its stance that he had been wrongly targeted following his very effective work on behalf of crews stranded by the cessation of operations of the Comarit-Comanav ferry company, work he undertook at the ITF’s request.

Mohamed Chamchati was also unjustly arrested in June 2012 on clearly mistaken charges. In November he and other union officials were released without charge.

ITF president Paddy Crumlin stated: “These sentences defy belief. Last year Said and Mohamed faced serious, cooked-up charges of sabotage and endangering national security. Following worldwide protests led by the ITF those ridiculous charges were rightly dropped. Now, in a shocking breach of trust and logic they have once again come under legal attack for their legitimate trade union work in defence of workers rights.”

He continued: “These men are guilty of nothing more than being effective trade unionists. We will fight these unjust and idiotic decisions all the way.”

For related ITF press and news online stories see here http://www.itfglobal.org/press-area/index.cfm/pressdetail/8554

For other news and videos, visit the ITF’s Free Said campaign page here http://www.itfglobal.org/campaigns/free-said.cfm

Strike which ‘paralyzed’ Indian port ends as new CBA agreed

http://www.itfglobal.org/news-online/index.cfm/newsdetail/8535

15 February 2013

  

A strike which brought the Kochi International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT Vallarpadam) in Kerala, India to a standstill for 10 days has ended after drivers and cleaners secured a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

Container movement at the port was halted on 3 February with 3000 workers from 11 unions, including ITF-affiliated Cochin Port Staff Association, demanding a revision of their wages in line with inflation and to reflect the increase in hire charges for trailers. It followed the expiry of the previous CBA for logistics workers at ICTT Vallarpadam, which is operated by global network terminal operator DP World, in September last year.

Previous attempts to agree a new CBA had proved unsuccessful. Following industrial action in December the Kerela district collector ordered the Trailer Owners Association (COCOWA) and the Trade Union Coordination Committee, which represents the unions concerned, to come to a settlement. However, despite agreeing to increased daily allowance (bata) to both drivers and cleaners the COCOWA failed to honour this which lead to the latest walkout. These allowances had not been increased since 1993.

Following a meeting with the CPSA the labour and port ministers of Kerela staged an intervention which has led to the agreement of a two-year settlement reflecting the increased hire charges and inflation.

CPSA president, P M Mohammed Haneef said: “This is a fair deal for workers who were forced into action by the lack of good faith, open negotiations surrounding this dispute. 11 unions came together here to work towards a common goal and they have managed to secure a great result for workers.”