June 21 - The International Dockworkers Council (IDC) has called for a Europe-wide port stoppage in support of the conflict faced by Spanish dockers and in opposition to the "ultra-liberal" policies of of the European Commission (EC).
The IDC wants the two-hour strike to take place across European ports on June 29, 2017, 10 am to 12:00 pm.
As HLPFI reported here, Spanish dockworkers and trade unions called for strike action following the port liberalisation decree, which was criticised for the impact it would have on labour conditions, and, according to IDC, has forced the dockworkers to defend their jobs.
"The legislative decree which has been approved is not only contrary to what has been agreed between companies and workers; it is also far removed from the demands of the European Court of Justice," explains IDC general coordinator, Jordi Aragunde. "Spanish employers have refused to guarantee the jobs of over 6,000 workers in ports across the country, despite the fact that dockworkers have for the last four months put forward various realistic solutions to the conflict, and have even proposed a reduction in their wages."
In addition to supporting the Spanish dockworkers, the strike was called to support the IDC's opposition to the policies of companies and government administrations "which aim to destroy the social gains of workers, increase precarious labour, and place a question mark on the security of their jobs."
