|
|
Change low graphic options | Change language | Skip content to navigation
Page context: Home > Press area
Week of action steams ahead into final day
8 June 2007
The ITF’s Northern European week of action has reached its final day with no let up in pace.
ITF Maritime Coordinator Steve Cotton described the event so far as “outstanding”. He commented: “Hundreds of ships have been inspected across the Continent and issues such as safety, owed wages and poor work conditions tackled. We’ve seen excellent support from our docker colleagues, from unions and across national boundaries.”
“With the final day not even over we can say that this event has made a difference that will last far beyond this week.”
The week of action has been held in Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the UK (see www.itfglobal.org/campaigns/newa.cfm for more details).
Reports coming in as of 15:30 include:
Germany: ‘115 vessels visited since the beginning of the week, 12 new agreements signed, three boycotts in Hamburg, one in Wismar. Special mention for the signature of the M/v Libra Copacabana and CSAV Peru, part of the CSAV campaign.’
‘Here we are with a short overview of the boycott actions in German ports during the week of action.
On the 4th of June the master of the "Maersk Sheerness" (Li) was refusing the representatives of ver.di to inspect his ship. Therefore the German dockers stopped the loading and discharging of the ship. Finally - after a period of five hours - the master was willing to accept a union delegation aboard.
On the 5th of June CMA CGM Iguacu (Li) was arriving Hamburg without an ITF agreement. The company was not willing to sign an ITF agreement. But after a boycott for one hour by the dock workers the company signed an ITF agreement. On the 6th of June the same situation happened with the MSC Bremen (Li). After a boycott of two hours the company agreed to sign ITF agreement. On the 7th of June the motor vessel ‘Gerd’ was arriving Hamburg without an ITF agreement. But before the dockers could start their boycott action the company agreed to sign an ITF agreement.
On the 6th of June there was a boycott of warning for the ‘Polarlight’ (Li) for half an hour (next port of call is Rotterdam), and on the 7th of June for the ‘Smaragd’ (ATG) for one hour in Wismar (next port of call is Hamburg).’
Verdi has issued daily press releases in German. Please email dawson_sam@itf.org.uk if you would like to receive these in PDF form.
France: Solidarity actions have taken place in Cherbourg, where a blockade of the MV Normandy was lifted after Irish Ferries and Celtic Link were given a deadline of June 15th to begin talks about a collective bargaining agreement.
Following received earlier today: ‘Following our last mail we have met the manager of the port of Saint Malo. He said to us that he agreed with ITF request about CBA after that we have stopped the disembarkation of the vessel Condor 10 for two hours and we have met the manager of Condor and we have requested to receive his final answer before 19th June.’
‘This morning, we are in Saint Malo in front of an access ramp of vessel HD ferries, and company has cancelled its voyage and we have met the manager and we will have a meeting this month about ITF agreement.’
Latvia: Six vessels inspected today. Two ITF agreements renewed.
Poland: Report from Szczecin : ‘M/v Eleni K, PAN, IMO 7904463 – we re-visited this vessel with volunteers from NMS NSZZ ‘Solidarnosc’, Dockers Section NSZZ ‘Solidarnosc’ and Polish Seafarers Union as follow-up to visit of 6th of June. Today the company confirmed they had contacted Branko Krznaric and PNO to discuss ITF agreement for Eleni K. The result of the meeting will be known today at 17.00 local time.’
Report from Gdynia:
m/v BALTIYSKIY-202 (MLT) IMO: 9057252 - no problems.
m/v WIGRY (POL) IMO:7615529 - no problems.
m/v Slotergracht (NLD) IMO:9197947 - cargo handling by seafarers.
I informed Master, crew and dockers. Dockers union ‘Solidarnosc’ will prepare letter to company.
Shipowner Columbia Shipmanagement Ltd is going to sign an ITF Collective Agreement for m/v CAPE FULMAR (MHL), IMO:9359313.
Estonia: ‘Two ships inspected so far today, nine since week began. Notice of warning was issued today to Merilin, EST, which has no CBA.’
Russia: ‘Eight vessels visited today, possible outcome and agreement signed for one. 41 vessels visited since the beginning of the week.’
Lithuania: ‘Vessel visited at request of crew, dispute in their support has been resolved.’
Belgium: Six vessels visited today
UK and Ireland: ‘The stoppage in France has been like a volcano for the Irish Sea campaign. As a result of it and of the work throughout the week it is now up to the companies to decide if they want to co-operate with us in the introduction of good quality employment of their ships.’
More details on the Fortuna 1:
Fortuna I to be sold as talks between the International Transport Federation and owners break down
June 7th, 2007.
Talks between the owners of Fortuna I, the Latvian vessel stranded in Ireland since March, and the International Transport Federation broke down this afternoon. The 11 man crew have been in Ireland for over two months and spent much of this time at anchor in Dundalk bay as the owners failed to pay berthing fees in Greenore. It is now docked in Dundalk.
The ITF had the vessel arrested when Spaider Shipping failed to honour promises to pay the crew arrears, now estimated at $135,000. Norrie McVicar, the ITF Co-Coordinator for Ireland and the UK said after meeting the owners that, “They failed to demonstrate they had sufficient funds to meet their obligations to the crew, or other creditors. The ITF will now assist the crew in the sale of the vessel so that they can be paid.
“Once again we have an unfortunate situation where the owners of a vessel have made statements about paying the crew, month after month, only to let them down. This should be a lesson to all shipping companies operating in Irish and British waters that such behaviour will no longer be tolerated.”
Contact: Norrie McVicar, ITF, 00 44 776 8 652 257
Padraig Yeates, PYE Comm, 832 4470, 832 6899 and 087 260 5297
The Netherlands: ‘The day started early at 6 am when we boarded the CMA CGM SAMBA in the Port of Rotterdam and stopped work from 07.15 till 12 noon. Master and crew all Chinese, with a crewmanager based in Cyprus. They refused to negotiate with us and after the stoppage we have informed them that we will go after them till the time that the agreement is signed.
The Portugal has had nearly a half day delay because they refused to negotiate with us, and now the charterer has stepped in. Discussions are taking place between all parties.
Furthermore the Polarlight is under stoppage because they refuse to conclude an agreement after Seatrade, where she does trade in the "pool" was informed well on time.
A remarkable success in the Dutch ports and all know that Rotterdam is not a port to forget when it comes to ITF solidarity.’
‘Another busy day in Rotterdam, ships were not operated for most of the working shift, The support of the dockers continues and there is a change for a full stoppage for a ship which refused access to the inspecting team.’
A press release in Dutch follows (below).
FNV Bondgenoten press release on the action week
Rotterdam, 8 juni 2007
ITF spreekt van een succesvolle actieweek in de Rotterdamse haven
Vanmorgen vroeg om 6 uur werd de Chinese kapitein uit zijn mandje gelicht door een aantal ITF vertegenwoordigers, die het schip controleerden op de aanwezigheid van een goedgekeurde ITF CAO voor de manschappen.
Het schip is eigendom van de Duitse Rickmers Reederei uit Hamburg, die een totaal vloot van 81 schepen heeft, waarvan slechts 9 onder Duitse vlag. Alle overige container-, zware ladingschepen en bulkcarriers varen onder goedkope vlag. De “Mabel Rickmers” is gecharterd door het Franse CMA CGM, de derde toonaangevende containermaatschappij in de wereld en vaart nu onder de naam “CMA CGM SAMBA”. Nadat de kapitein de slaap uit zijn toch al kleine oogjes had verwijderd verwees hij de ITF vertegenwoordiger door naar een Russische crewmanager op Cyprus. Deze deelde mede dat alles volgens de Chinese staat is geregeld. Na bijna 5 uren werkonderbreking is besloten het werk weer te laten hervatten en de reder in kennis te stellen van het feit dat dit en voorloper is op verdergaande acties, totdat een deugdelijk agreement is overeengekomen.
Bij Uniport Multipurpose Terminals in de Waalhaven liggen op dit moment de POLARLIGHT van de Duitse rederij Triton Schiffahrtsgesellschaft GmbH, die in de “pool” van Seatrade Groningen vaart en de HMS PORTUGAL van de Duitse rederij Tesch uit Haren/Ems. Op dit moment vinden de eerste onderhandelingen met de kapitein van de HMS Portugal en de Charteraar Holland Maas Shipping BV aan boord plaats, terwijl de POLARLIGHT aan de kade ligt zonder dat kranen draaien om lading aan boord te zetten en van boord te halen in de Waalhaven. Ook in Hamburg ondervond het schip gisteren een korte werkonderbreking.
De eigenaren van de ADELE C, die eerder deze week in de Amazonehaven bij ECT lag afgemeerd kunnen van de ITF een claim van $65,000 tegemoet zien voor het niet juist naleven van een eerder in Zweden overeengekomen contract. Eén van de bemanningsleden ontving het ITF Magazine een liet de vertegenwoordigers van Nautilus NL, FNV Bongenoten en ITF trots zien dat hij op de omslag van het recentelijk verschenen blad stond afgebeeld en nu op hetzelfde schip wederom in de prijzen viel, omdat de eigenaren Cramer Schiffahrts GmbH uit Haren/Ems niet echt hebben geleerd van hun fouten.
Ook de eigenaren van de MIDLAND 203 moesten in hun buidel tasten om nog een achterstallige betaling te realiseren voor onbetaald gebleven feestdagen.
In totaal zijn in Rotterdam gedurende deze week 19 inspecties uitgevoerd, die op 6 schepen tot een werkonderbreking hebben geleid en in totaal zijn door deze acties 28 agreements afgesloten, waarin de zekerheden voor de bemanningsleden en de “havenwerkers” zijn gegarandeerd betreffende het sjorren van de lading. Voorts zijn de loon- en arbeidsvoorwaarden voor de zeevarenden op een minimum peil gebracht. Op zondag 3 juni is, als warmlopertje van de ITF Actieweek in Amsterdam een inspectie op het cruiseschip “Sea Cloud II” gehouden, wat tot de totstandkoming van een tweetal cruise agreements heeft geleid. Zowel de “Sea Cloud”, als de “Sea Cloud II” van de Duitse rederij Hansa Treuhand Schiffsbeteiligungs A.G. & Co., uit Hamburg zijn nu onder contract.
Tevens bleek tijdens een inspectie in Rostock dat het onder Nederlandse vlag varende ms.”Bergfjord” niet voldeed aan de voorwaarden van de zeevarendenbond Nautilus NL, zodat ook hier de rederij benaderd werd om haar contractuele verplichtingen op orde te brengen.
Ook zijn inmiddels contacten gelegd met diverse charteraars en rederijen om deze gespannen verhoudingen in de toekomst te voorkomen en hen die daarvoor zijn opgeleid die werkzaamheden te laten verrichten zoals overeengekomen, dit zal in de nabije toekomst eveneens tot vermindering van ongevallen in de haven en aan boord leiden. Daarnaast is het uiteraard van essentieel belang dat de loon- en arbeidsvoorwaarden van alle opvarenden op een aanvaardbaar niveau worden gebracht.
Enkele advocaten hebben inmiddels van zich laten horen, door aan te geven dat hun cliënten “not amused” waren van deze acties.(RT)
ENDS
For more information contact ITF press officer, Sam Dawson.
Direct line: + 44 (0)20 7940 9260.
Email: dawson_sam@itf.org.uk
International Transport Workers' Federation - ITF:
HEAD OFFICE
ITF House, 49 - 60 Borough Road, London SE1 1DS
Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7403 2733
Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7375 7871
Email: mail@itf.org.uk
Web: www.itfglobal.org
Related pages:
ITF North European week of action
ITF’s North European week of action brings together personnel...
Related press:
7 June 2007
Week of action day four update
The ITF Northern European week of action (4-8 June) is now in...
6 June 2007
Week of action reaches midpoint with continued gains
The ITF maritime week of action today reached its midway point,...
4 June 2007
Maritime week of action kicks off across N Euro ports
Reports are coming in from participants in the maritime week of...
4 June 2007
Week of action begins today across northern Europe
Early this morning the ITF and its affiliates began a week of...
Back to current press releases
Section home:
Press area
Main Sections:
Home | About us | Solidarity | Flags of Convenience campaign | Seafarers | Dockers | Civil Aviation | Railways | Road transport | Urban Transport | Fisheries | Tourism | Inland Navigation | Women | Education | Young workers
Transport International Magazine
accessibility | site help | site map
ITF House, 49-60 Borough Road, London SE1 1DR | +44 20 7403 2733 | mail@itf.org.uk
