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          Shipping Stevedoring Port Services Hydrocarbons Diving  Sep-Oct 2008 
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Port workers mobilise across Europe05 August 2003
The International Transport Workers' Federation yesterday announced five days of actions by European dockers to stamp out the growing use of selfhandling and to ram home the message to the EU that its proposed port directive would open the door to the use of unskilled and untrained labour. The industrial action will run from September 8-12. At a meeting in late July ITF affiliated port workers' unions called for prompt action to wake up the European Commission and protest the increasing use of seafarers and casual labourers to carry out skilled and safety critical dock work. Participating countries are now deciding which day/s they will choose and the form of protest they will make. Events will be held under the banner of 'Leave it to the Professionals. It's Our Work!' The ITF's European inspectors, supported by docker volunteers and seafarers, will back the action by boarding ships and distributing information on the threat of selfhandling by seafarers. Road transport unions affiliated to the ITF, who have voted to support their port worker colleagues, are examining ways they can aid the dockers. On January 17 this year an unprecedented 20,000 port workers across Europe took part in protests against the directive, while in February and March the ITF's European regional arm the ETF organised lobbies of the European Parliament and demonstrations in Brussels and Strasbourg. The ETF will also coordinate the events in September. The Strasbourg events led to the European Parliament adding amendments to the draft directive text that, if also adopted by the European Council of Ministers, will end dockers' actions against the directive. However, the representatives of the Council and Commission have so far responded negatively to the amendments. On 9 September a formal conciliation period begins that is due to end on 5 November and in which the European Parliament and the EU Council of Ministers are going to try to reach an agreement on a text for the ports directive which will be acceptable to both Parliament and Council. If they continue to disagree it will mean the end of the directive. However, should they reach a compromise that involves removing the amendments on selfhandling, then port worker actions will continue. Kees Marges, Secretary of the ITF's Dockers Section, commented: "A worldwide campaign against selfhandling onboard by seafarers and on terminals by untrained and inexperienced casual workers begins in Europe on 8 September. The EU directive is just one target - but as along as we don't know the final result of the conciliation a very important one - because, almost unbelievably, it seeks to formalise the growing casualisation and de-skilling that is a creeping menace elsewhere in the world." "But this is bigger than just Europe. This is the beginning of a continuing battle that needs to be fought to keep stamping out this problem wherever it occurs. Even as we plan for September in Europe our members elsewhere are already investigating selfhandling: what is happening where - and on whose instructions." More details of the campaign are contained in the attached circular to ITF affiliated port workers' unions. Fuller details of planned events will be posted at http://www.itf.org.uk/ports/index.htm when confirmed.
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