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Condemnation and call for talks passed by dockers’ reps

18 June 2008

ITF-affiliated dockworkers’ trade unions meeting in Stockholm yesterday passed a motion condemning the Aegon company for its management of pension funds and calling on it to enter urgent talks on the matter with the FNV Bondgenoten union. Failure to resolve the issue by 1 September 2008 is likely to result in further, lawful action by these unions.

The motion is:

The ITF Dockers’ Conference meeting in Stockholm on 16 – 17 June 2008:

NOTES the information provided by FNV Bondgenoten to the ITF Dockers’ Section and its affiliates globally on the current situation in The Netherlands on the extremely important issue of the protection of pension benefits of Dutch dockers.

NOTES that in the summer of 2007 Aegon – one of the largest insurance companies in the world – bought Optas NV.

NOTES further that Optas NV was founded in 1990 by PVH, which itself dates back to 1948, belonged to the port employers and the dockworkers who were represented by the dockers’ unions. All shares in Optas NV were until recently held by the Optas Foundation (Stichting Optas). Stichting Optas sold the shares to Aegon for €1.3 billion. These assets include a sum of €798 million that was labelled (also by a Dutch court in 1998) as capital that can only be spent in direct relation to the pension benefits of all dockers who were covered by a pension agreement on the date of 31 December 1997.

NOTES that Aegon now states that this labelled sum has become part of Aegon’s own assets to which port employers and dockworkers have no special rights, such as reduction of the pension premium or indexing of the pension. As part of Aegon’s own assets, the money serves as backing for Aegon’s insurance obligations (including those pursuant to the pension contracts Optas NV entered into).

NOTES that Aegon refuses to talk directly with the docks industry – either employers or trade unions – about this issue.

NOTES the fact that there is now in The Netherlands a mediation and consultation procedure started under the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, following the adoption of the motion by different international dockers’ and seafarers’ unions during the conference of the MUA from 7 April till 11 April 2008, and that this mediation and consultation procedure started on 1 June 2008 and is due to end on 1 September 2008.

CONDEMNS the attitude of Aegon towards workers’ pension rights and money

CALLS ON Aegon to start a dialogue with the social partners in the port industry in The Netherlands as a matter of urgency

DEMANDS that Aegon changes its attitude and position on this matter and recognises that every Euro of the total amount must be used for this group of dockers.

BELIEVES that this situation may have consequences for the willingness of dockworkers, their relatives and their union leaders to enter into future commercial contractual relations with Aegon as to pension and other insurance business.

DECLARES its solidarity with the Dutch dockers in their continuing struggle with Aegon.

RESOLVES that if the mediation and consultation procedure does not end at 1 September 2008 with a result that is satisfactory to the dockers in The Netherlands who are affiliated to FNV Bondgenoten:

· They will support a global FNV Bondgenoten information campaign on this issue to draw the attention of the general public to this matter.

· They will map and monitor the presence of Aegon operations around the world with the assistance of FNV Bondgenoten.

· If any representations towards Aegon should be undertaken by ITF affiliates, FNV Bondgenoten and the port employers (united in SBPVH) will be invited to be actively involved.

· ITF affiliated unions should whenever lawful not enter into new contracts with Aegon for as long as this issue is not resolved.

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

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