Despite the harsh conditions for union organisation in the UK, the EDC Terminal dockworkers at the Port of Tilbury from Unite balloted a 24-hour strike last Monday against the one-sided decree by Forth Ports to change the contract hours. This is the first strike in the London area since 1989. The company has not shown any will to sit at the negotiating table and it employed scabs during the strike. It seems industrial action will escalate and international solidarity required.Background
The port of Tilbury is one of the largest in Great Britain. Approximately 500 Dockers are employed by the port company Forth Ports. About 50 of them work at the Port of Tilbury's Enterprise Distribution Centre (EDC), a paper terminal that is part of Stora Enso’s logistic network. The paper terminal in question handles two ships, Selandia Seways and Trans Pulp, operating between Tilbury and the Swedish port of Gothenburg. It also handles the distribution of paper reels and other land-based operations.
Until today, the working conditions for both land- and onboard operations in the terminal have been regulated by local collective agreements between the employer and the dockworkers union Unite. A few of the Dockers work only day shifts, but the general frame of port operations is that most Dockers work on a fixed schedule between 06-14 one week and 14-22 the next. There is also a night shift working from Sunday to Thursday. The Dockers handle the whole operation, both onboard ships and in land terminals.
Negotiated contract replaced by one-sided decree from Forth Ports
In the beginning of 2012, Forth Ports declared that they were going to introduce a new ”follow the ship”- contract, that would make the Dockers work-hours totally flexible and be dependent on the employers’ wishes. The move was expected to reduce over-time with 75%, and according to calculations by Unite union members would lose about £2,500-a-year.
The new contract had not been preceded by any negotiations or consultations with dockworkers union Unite. Forth Ports stated that the employer had previously mentioned its’ wish to implement a ”follow the ship”- contract, and thus saw no need for negotiations with the union. Unite naturally expressed that this conduct was unreasonable and that there was already a negotiated contract in place at the EDC.
British anti-union laws from the Thatcher-era
The British conditions for union organisation are harsh, following the brutal regime of Margret Thatcher. Trade union contracts are still today not considered to be binding by law but only ”by honour”. This means that a contract can be terminated or replaced at any given time by the employer, even without preceding negotiations. Thus, Forth Ports stated that they intended to introduce the new contract, regardless of any union complaints.
The Tilbury Dockers vote to strike
The employer’s uncompromising attitude and attempts to worsen working conditions moved Unite to assemble their members. The Dockers were extremely frustrated and Unite also suspected that Forth Ports actions in the EDC could just be the first step in a broader scheme to replace negotiated contracts in the whole Port of Tilbury. The Dockers balloted to initiate a 24-hour strike in the EDC terminal, in an attempt to force Forth Ports to the negotiating table.
The first dockworker strike in the London-area since 1989
British law makes it difficult to initiate industrial action of any kind, even when the employer refuses to negotiate with the workers’ trade union. All in all it took Unite two months to acquire the legal right to undertake a 24-hour strike, finally planned to take place on the 8th of May.
Today - The strike is on
Forth Ports has consistently refused to negotiate with Unite, even during the notice period. Thus, at 10 AM today, the 8th of May, 45 dockworkers at the EDC terminal went on strike.
Unite had beforehand expressed its’ suspicions that Forth Ports were going to use scab labour during the conflict to International Dockworkers Council
Scabs on the docks
The IDC and its’ affiliate, the Swedish Dockworkers’ Union have been closely monitoring the strike. Thus the IDC was informed in the early hours of the strike that scabs, most probably formen and unorganized casual labour, were sent in to the terminal to handle the striking dockworkers’ jobs. The scabs worked both the onboard operations on the ro/ro ship Selandia Seaways and the distribution of Stora Enso’s paper reels. By its action the Forth Ports chose to escalate the conflict and make the Tilbury dispute an international issue.
Tilbury – an international issue
It is now clear that the conflict in Tilbury is very serious. By refusing to negotiate and using scabs during a perfectly legal strike, Forth Ports has attacked the British dockworkers. The Employer has initiated a dangerous praxis that no dockworker wants to see in a European port.
The dockworkers in Tilbury have up to this day, hesitated to request international solidarity action from the IDC and the ITF, waiting to see if the employer would respect legal industrial action and enter into negotiations. Following Forth Ports confrontation and uncompromising conduct, the situation has now changed.
International support
The dockworkers of Tilbury are now considering new strikes, since there has been no movement in the dispute. If Unite asks for international solidarity action, the conflict could quickly expand well beyond Great Britain.
IDC affiliate the Swedish Dockworkers’ Union, who handle ships calling on the EDC terminal, have expressed that such a request will immediately be followed by an membership assembly that will vote on solidarity action.
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