Comment: Port work must be left to the professionals

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As threats to their employment have come and gone, many dockers’ unions have campaigned to keep port work for port workers. Right now, however, the diversion of cargo-handling work away from unionised professional port workers has become a reform strategy agreed by governments and business interests alike.

Shipping companies and even terminal operators are promoting cargo handling by seafarers in the ro-ro ferries and in short sea shipping. Meanwhile shippers and shipping lines are attempting to bypass trained, experienced and registered port workers by employing their own casual, unregistered and inexperienced labour in the terminals. Usually this has also meant replacing trade unionists with unorganised workers.

The deliberate avoidance of unionised terminals and the moving of cargo handling to non-union operations has caused increasing problems in the US ports. Meanwhile the European Commission’s promotion of liberalisation in the EU Port Industry once again threatens the replacement of trained, experienced and registered port workers with casual, unregistered and inexperienced labour.

The ITF has launched a new campaign to tackle these worrying developments. Affiliated dockers’ unions have been asked to observe cargo handling activities in their ports with particular care, and to report any violations of ITF Cargo Handling policy, notably violations on board ships sailing a flag of convenience. If the ship is covered by an ITF-approved agreement, cargo handling by seafarers would mean a violation of the contract, as all contracts contain a so-called cargo handling clause.

Using these reports, the ITF will take measures to stop any particular case of cargo handling by seafarers. At the same time, the mobilisation of ITF-affiliated port workers’ unions against the European Directive has gathered enormous momentum, as the recent week of action in European ports demonstrates (see news on page 7). Shippers, shipowners, and the politicians in Brussels, must understand our determination to continue the battle for safe port practices and the employment rights of port workers.

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Issue 13 October 2003

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