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Dockers reject Ports Package at mass demonstration

13 January 2006

On 16 January, 6.000 Dockers from 16 European Countries will demonstrate in Strasbourg against the proposal for a directive on liberalisation of port services.

After the last November successful demonstration in Brussels (see Press release from 16 November below), the European Transport Workers’ Federation representing 2.5 million transport workers in 39 European countries is calling for a massive demonstration to be held in Strasbourg on Monday 16th of January from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm. Some 6 000 Dockers from Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, France, UK, Germany, Italy, Finland, Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Malta, Sweden, Poland, Portugal and Norway will support Members of the European Parliament who decided to oppose this unnecessary, provocative and unbalanced proposal which was presented less than one year after the historical vote of the European Parliament rejecting the first proposal.

The route for the demonstration will be as follows:

Place de l’Étoile, meeting point – departure of the demonstration
Rue de la Première Armée,
Quai Saint Nicolas,
Quai des Bateliers,
Quai des Pêcheurs,
Quai du Maire Dietrich,
Pont d’Auvergne,
Avenue de la Liberté,
Avenue Victor Schoelcher,
Place de la République,
Avenue de la Paix,
Place de Bordeaux,
Avenue Schutzenberger,
Pont Schutzenberger,
Place de la Foire Exposition,
Boulevard de Dresde
European Parliament - end of the demonstration

The demonstration in Strasbourg will be the climax of a mobilization that started today, the 11 January. In fact 50.000 Port workers all across Europe struck, organizing work stoppages, and holding many information meetings in European Ports, in many cases with the support of national MPs and MEPs. Today’s actions were a success.

In November 2005, the report by Mr. Jarzembowski (Germany, PPE) failed to be adopted by the Transport Committee, with the result that the text MEPs are called to vote on Wednesday 18 January is the one originally issued by the Commission (see Press release from 25 November in Annex 2). As a reminder, it is worth mentioning that both EP IMCO and EMPL Committees rejected the proposed Directive on 14 and 15 September 2005 respectively. The rejection of Mr. Jarzembowski’s report showed that the text is unworkable and the only possible solution is its withdrawal without any further delay!

In case this Directive would be adopted, this could dramatically affect European port operators and investments in the sector. No one can ignore the impact that deregulatory proposals will have on jobs, working conditions, health and safety and the quality of port services in Europe. The adoption of such a Directive could also threaten European port workers’ working conditions and even lead them to loose their jobs.

To make our action even more visible, an ETF boat will follow the route of the demonstration from the Strasbourg canals. After the demonstration, the boat decorated with flags, posters and banners will settle until 5 p.m. in the basin behind the Parliament building the so-called “Bassin de l’Ill”). A television crew will be on the scene aboard the boat.

For more practical information regarding interviews, shootings of both the demonstration and the boat, a technical press release is also available on request.

ENDS

For more information please contact:
Philippe ALFONSO
ETF Dockers’ Section Secretary
European Transport Workers’ Federation
GSM: (+) 32 496 65 79 15
E-mail: p.alfonso@etf-europe.org

European Transport Workers' Federation
Rue du Midi 165
B-1000 Bruxelles
Tel: +32 (2) 285 4660
Fax: +32 (2) 280 0817
Email: etf@etf-europe.org
Web: www.etf-europe.org

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