INTERNATIONAL DOCKWORKERS’ CONFERENCE ON 15 JUNE 2012




At the initiative of the Belgian Transport Workers Union (UBOT-FGTB), representatives of dockworkers’ unions from 11 European countries, including Belgium (UBOT-FGTB and CGSLB), France (CGT), the Netherlands (FNV), German (Ver.di), the UK (Unite), Spain (CC.OO and Coordinadora), Italy (CGIL), Portugal (SETC), Denmark (3F), Norway (NTF) and Sweden (SDU) met at Antwerp’s "Schipperswelzijn" training centre on 15 June 2012.
The conference noted that the European Commission is preparing to introduce, more discreetly on this occasion, a third initiative aimed at liberalising port services.

PRESS RELEASE
This also forms the context of the study conducted by Professor Van Hooydonck in 22 maritime member states, at the request of the European Commission.
While the conference in no way questioned the integrity of this study, it was extremely concerned as to how it could be used or abused by the Commission. Participants actually feared that it could represent the first step towards a third port package.
The conference felt that the European Commission is intentionally misrepresenting the ‘inefficiency’ of the ports, which are supposedly controlled by monopolies.
The plans for liberalisation have nothing to do with inefficiency, but are only intended to satisfy the demands of the powerful maritime lobby. The conference condemned the management’s stalling tactics in terms of launching social dialogue, which should have started three years ago.
The leaders of the trade union organisations affiliated to the ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation), the ETF (European Transport Workers’ Federation) and the IDC (international Dockworker’s Council) stated and confirmed their willingness to participate in social dialogue – the launch of which has been delayed for over three years, for reasons that remain unclear – with the European Commission and various stakeholders on important topics, such as safety and professional training. However, they will not hesitate to express their DISAPPROVAL, if this dialogue leads to the dismantling of the working conditions, which were hard won and currently exist at the various European ports.

Comments