Spanish strikes again called off

News 12 Mar 2017 by WCN Editorial

For the third consecutive time, Spanish stevedoring unions have backed away from implementing planned strikes aimed at getting the government to change its mind in respect of radical changes to legislation governing stevedoring practices

𝕏

On Wednesday 9th March, the dockworkers' unions – Coordinadora de Trabajadores del Mar, CCOO, UGT, CIG and USO – called off one-day strikes planned for 10th, 13th and 15th March. The announcement was made by Marcos Peña, president of the Consejo Económico y Social, which is acting as the arbitrator between the port companies and workers’ representatives.

The unions have preferred to continue talks with their employers and government representatives rather than ask their members to withdraw their labour ever since the Spanish government announced in early February that it was unilaterally introducing deregulation in the stevedoring sector to bring it in line with European Directives as determined by judgements from the European Court of Justice.

Nevertheless, at the time of writing, strikes due on 17th, 20th, 22nd and 24th March are still due to go ahead, when labour will be withdrawn at altenative hours.

Originally, workers were to withdraw their labour on 20th, 22nd and 24th Febuary, but decided not to go ahead with their planned walk out when the cabinet agreed to put back by a week its approval of the new law. When subsequent talks stalled, unions announced that no fewer than 11 days of strikes would be called in March, although those on March 6th and 8th were again withdrawn when it became apparent that the Development Ministry did not have sufficient parliamentary support to push through the new legislation in time for its March 9th deadline.

A debate and vote will now be taken in the lower house of parliament on March 16th, the result of which will again determine whether the unions eventually implement their walk out or not.

The existing Spanish stevedoring system has been ruled unlawful by the European Court of Justice, since heavily-unionised stevedoring companies (SAGEPs) in each port essentially control who is able to work there. European Union directives say that any suitably qualified company has the right to offer stevedoring services, which must operate on a deregulated basis to ensure competition.