Montreal port labour dispute continues with new strike
NewsCUPE 375 has issued a 24-hour strike notice from 7 a.m. Sunday, 27 October, affecting all operations at the Port of Montreal.
German North Sea ports talks stalled
Negotiations for a new collective agreement at Germany’s North Sea ports are stalled as employees and the union reject the employers’ offers.
In the ongoing negotiations for a new collective agreement affecting 11,500 employees at Germany’s North Sea ports, an initial offer from employers has been rejected.
The Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS) presented two variants of a proposal after a challenging series of talks in Bremen. However, both options have been deemed insufficient by the employees and their union, ver.di.
The offers, which were put forward in the fourth round of negotiations, featured different terms for wage increases and additional benefits.
Variant 1 proposed a 12-month agreement with a tax-free inflation compensation premium of €1,000 (pro-rata for part-time workers). It also included an hourly wage increase of €0.95 effective January 1, 2025, along with boosts in shift allowances and a rise in annual holiday pay by €480.
Variant 2 suggested a 16-month agreement with a higher inflation compensation premium of €1,400. This option also included an hourly wage increase of €1.15 starting January 1, 2025, and similar increases in shift allowances and holiday pay as in Variant 1.
Despite some progress reflected in these offers, ver.di’s negotiator, Maren Ulbrich, criticised them for failing to meet the employees’ expectations. Ulbrich highlighted that the proposals did not deliver the necessary wage increases and relief anticipated by the workforce.
On August 23, 2024, ver.di’s collective bargaining committee endorsed the members’ consensus to reject the proposals and called for further negotiations.
Protest in Hamburg
Additionally, ver.di has announced plans for a protest on 31 August ahead of a crucial vote on September 4 regarding a significant deal between Hamburg container handling company HHLA and MSC, NT reported. The proposed deal would see MSC acquire a 49.9% stake in HHLA, which would subsequently hold a 50.1% stake, with the city of Hamburg reducing its current 70% share.
The union has expressed concerns that the deal could be “bad for Hamburg” and aims to highlight these issues through the planned protest. The vote on the deal, originally slated for before the summer, was postponed due to opposition from parties CDU and Die Linke, who sought to delay the decision until after the summer recess.