Protests in the port of Aden over pay and working conditions

Protests in the port of Aden over pay and working conditions

http://www.itfglobal.org/news-online/index.cfm/newsdetail/9570

26 September 2013

The ITF is supporting dockers in the Port of Aden, Yemen, after they began protests over pay and working conditions.

Port workers from ITF-affiliate, the General Union of Telecommunications and Transport Workers, filed a case against Yemen Gulf of Aden Ports Corporation (YGAPC) after the company’s management refused to meet demands from the union. These include a risk allowance relating to the dangerous nature of dockers’ work, a new wage strategy and the provision of permanent government contracts for workers. Many have been left as casual labourers after global network terminal operator (GNT) DP World (DPW), stopped operating at the port a year ago. Until that point DPW and YGAPC have operated the container port in partnership.

The first protest was carried out on 17 September following the Administrative Court’s decision to refer the case to the Court of Appeal of Aden.

This was followed up with a second wave of action on 22 September outside the Court of Appeal.

Bilal Malkawi, ITF regional secretary for the Arab World said: “Workers at the Port of Aden have been left in a precarious position. Many jobs aren’t secure since the operating conditions at the port changed and there is no willingness from management to have open and transparent conversations about addressing that. The union is telling us that workers plan to keep protesting until their demands are met, and we’ll be supporting them throughout this period.”