Swedish Dockworkers Stage Strike at APM Terminals Gothenburg

2016-11-16

Swedish Dockworkers Stage Strike at APM Terminals Gothenburg

Swedish Dockworkers Union (SDU), which includes 85% of the dockworkers at the Gothenburg terminal, launched the latest round of industrial actions at Sweden’s port of Gothenburg after the week-long negotiations with the terminal operator failed.

APM Terminals said that the strike, which was launched at 14:00 today, is scheduled to last until 11:00 on November 18 and will result in reduced service capacity at the terminal.

The strike follows a blockade which was set to come into force on November 8 and last until December 31, 2016. The industrial action includes both new strikes and a ban on all overtime work, SDU said.

The main points on the union’s list of demands, apart from the demand for a separate collective agreement, involve deciding the number of people who take part in negotiations, as well as other issues relating to amenities at the terminal.

Additionally, in case the dispute drags on, SDU asked dockworkers around the world “to consider all legal and viable actions in your home countries and ports against Maersk containers, Maersk vessels, and Maersk terminals to increase the economic cost the Maersk Group bites for maintaining their current anti-union policies in Gothenburg.”

Earlier this year the union organized a number of industrial actions as a result of failed talks with APM Terminals’ representatives to find a middle ground on the pending issues.

The Gothenburg container terminal has experienced problems since APM Terminals (APMT) obtained the concession, according to SDU. Repeated disputes have reportedly led to a drop in market share from 57% of the Swedish container market to 45% in a few years.

World Maritime News Staff

Source from : World Maritime News

HEADLINES