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| Credit: SETC |
(WMN) The Lisbon Port Operators
Association, which represents the interests of the companies operating in the
Lisbon port, has resorted to collective sacking of striking Lisbon
dockers.
According to the
Lisbon dockers union SETC (Sindicato dos Estivadores) over 300 workers could be
targeted by the measure.
Lisbon dockers union SETC (Sindicato dos Estivadores) over 300 workers could be
targeted by the measure.
Portugal’s
association of civil workers Sindicato Nacional dos Assistentes Sociais (SNAS)
fiercely condemned the redundancies of workers struggling for better working
conditions.
association of civil workers Sindicato Nacional dos Assistentes Sociais (SNAS)
fiercely condemned the redundancies of workers struggling for better working
conditions.
“SNAS
expresses its full distaste of this collective dismissal, which is an
unequivocal sign of threat, psychological terror to the workers who are
on strike since April 20, 2016, and is appealing to the Government of
Portugal to intervene and find a solution to this conflict,” the association
said.
expresses its full distaste of this collective dismissal, which is an
unequivocal sign of threat, psychological terror to the workers who are
on strike since April 20, 2016, and is appealing to the Government of
Portugal to intervene and find a solution to this conflict,” the association
said.
Lisbon
stevedores are protesting against the Port Law and the work agreement
proposed by the port companies, which they believe would pave the way for “a dramatic increase in the casualisation of
workers and deeply cut the salaries and rights of the workers.”
stevedores are protesting against the Port Law and the work agreement
proposed by the port companies, which they believe would pave the way for “a dramatic increase in the casualisation of
workers and deeply cut the salaries and rights of the workers.”
Instead, they are
demanding a real collective working agreement which would stop casualisation,
preserve their rights and include the casual workers in the work contract,
giving them the same rights as full-time dockers.
demanding a real collective working agreement which would stop casualisation,
preserve their rights and include the casual workers in the work contract,
giving them the same rights as full-time dockers.
Stevedores are
asking for better working conditions in addition to voicing their opposition to
hiring of cheaper foreign labor force especially following last year’s Yıldırım
Group’s acquisition of a Portuguese port management company TERTIR for a total
of EUR 335 million.
asking for better working conditions in addition to voicing their opposition to
hiring of cheaper foreign labor force especially following last year’s Yıldırım
Group’s acquisition of a Portuguese port management company TERTIR for a total
of EUR 335 million.
TERTIR’s portfolio
is comprised of ten port terminals in total: seven of which are in Portugal,
two in Spain and one in Peru.
is comprised of ten port terminals in total: seven of which are in Portugal,
two in Spain and one in Peru.
As a result, the
dockers’ trade union is organising a march against casualisation and austerity
on 16 June in Lisbon.
dockers’ trade union is organising a march against casualisation and austerity
on 16 June in Lisbon.
In accordance with
its latest strike notice, the Portuguese dockers union plans to continue
the work stoppage at the port of Lisbon, starting from 8 pm on May 27 until
June 16, covering all types of work involving movement of cargo at all
terminals.
its latest strike notice, the Portuguese dockers union plans to continue
the work stoppage at the port of Lisbon, starting from 8 pm on May 27 until
June 16, covering all types of work involving movement of cargo at all
terminals.
SETC further said
that the strike could affect the operations at the country’s ports
of Setúbal and Figueira Da Foz as well.
that the strike could affect the operations at the country’s ports
of Setúbal and Figueira Da Foz as well.
Credit: World Maritime News
