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Brazilian dockers on strike over port restructuring plans
30 July 2008
Dockers in Brazil took part in a 24-hour strike across the country earlier this month as part of efforts to see their demands on port restructuring met.
Workers, represented by the ITF-affiliated Stevedores National Federation, the State Port Workers’ National Federation and the Port Workers’ Federation, participated in a national strike on 16 July. They are calling for a number of measures designed to minimise the detrimental effects of port restructuring. These include: establishing the importance of public ownership and investment in the port sector; regulating private activities in ports and permitting private companies to develop their own terminals only where the bulk of the cargo handled in the port is owned by them. They are also demanding full compliance with International Labour Organization Conventions on dock workers’ rights, ratified by Brazil; that rules be established regarding hiring permanent dock workers and that employers negotiate collective bargaining agreements with port workers’ unions.
Antonio Fritz ITF Inter-American Regional Secretary, commented: “The stoppage that took place in all Brazilian ports has been considered a success by the unions involved.”
A tripartite meeting to discuss port restructuring was due to take place in Rio on 29 July; a joint assembly of the port workers’ federations on 31 July will decide on what further action to take.
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