The European Dockworkers unions affiliated to ETF and IDC meeting in Antwerp on 17 October 2013 are informed about the dispute which is taking place in the Port of Rotterdam at the APMTR terminal regarding the collective bargaining agreement at the APMT Maasvlakte II terminal.
The European Dockworkers unions are also aware of the fact that Maersk Line is diverting all ships with destination APMTR Rotterdam to the port of Antwerp and to other European ports.
DISPUTE IN ROTTERDAM (NL) APM TERMINAL MAASVLAKTE II
What’s going on in Rotterdam?
In this paper the Dutch dockers union FNV Havens (FNV Ports) briefly informs the collegues from other countries on the dispute there is with a new APM Terminal in Rotterdam.
FNV Havens asks for support. The matter is urgent.
APM Terminals in Rotterdam
Since 2000 there is one APM Terminal in Rotterdam: APMTR.
In 2005 the A.P. Möller Maersk Group decided to build a new, highly automated terminal in Rotterdam, in the new part of the port (they made new land in the sea), which is called Maasvlakte 2. That new terminal is APMT MVII. Fysically it is only 300 metres away from the current terminal.
In 2005 almost everybody believed that building a new terminal was necessary to be able to handle the increasing amounts of containers coming to Rotterdam in the future.
But times are changing. We all know that economic crises have had serious influence on the amounts of containers that are shipped world wide. The expected dubble digit-growth in Rotterdam didn’t come. Nevertheless, APM Terminals sticked to the plan to build that new terminal on Rotterdam Maasvlakte II. (To make it worse: they are building a second new container terminal in Rotterdam: Rotterdam World Gateway, which is financed by a couple of shipping lines and DP World).
FNV Havens (FNV Ports) warned since 2008 for too much optimism about the port industry. Facing the economic reality, FNV Havens identified two threats for dockworkers: unemployment because of automation and an attack on the working conditions.
Agreement
For that reason, FNV Havens in January 2012 made an agreement with both APM Terminals (the current one and the new one) about general terms of the transition of dockworkers from the current APMTR-terminal to APMT MVII. In that agreement also was agreed that the level of the working conditions on the new terminal, to be put in an own CBA for the new terminal, would be at least the level of the working conditions already agreed in the CBA for the current terminal.
Some figures
The new APM-terminal is due to be fully operational in November 2014.
The cargo that will be handled on the APMT MVII-terminal, will be Maersk Containers. Specifically: Maersk Line has decided that al their containers in the near future (2015) will be loaded an unloaded on the new, automated terminal. Tragically, those Maersk containers are 80% of the cargo that now is handled on the APMTR terminal.
Because of automation (for instance: straddle carriers are replaced by AGV’s), on the new terminal will employ about 340 people. The current APMTR-terminal employs 700 people. When one cuts off 20% of that amount for the non-Maersk cargo, you see that now 560 people do the work that in the future will be done by 340 people. Only 290 workers from APMTR can be employed at the new terminal; the rest of the jobs are already taken by the project people that are now involved with the building process.
Negotiations: CBA and extra protocol
In this paper the Dutch dockers union FNV Havens (FNV Ports) briefly informs the collegues from other countries on the dispute there is with a new APM Terminal in Rotterdam.
FNV Havens asks for support. The matter is urgent.
APM Terminals in Rotterdam
Since 2000 there is one APM Terminal in Rotterdam: APMTR.
In 2005 the A.P. Möller Maersk Group decided to build a new, highly automated terminal in Rotterdam, in the new part of the port (they made new land in the sea), which is called Maasvlakte 2. That new terminal is APMT MVII. Fysically it is only 300 metres away from the current terminal.
In 2005 almost everybody believed that building a new terminal was necessary to be able to handle the increasing amounts of containers coming to Rotterdam in the future.
But times are changing. We all know that economic crises have had serious influence on the amounts of containers that are shipped world wide. The expected dubble digit-growth in Rotterdam didn’t come. Nevertheless, APM Terminals sticked to the plan to build that new terminal on Rotterdam Maasvlakte II. (To make it worse: they are building a second new container terminal in Rotterdam: Rotterdam World Gateway, which is financed by a couple of shipping lines and DP World).
FNV Havens (FNV Ports) warned since 2008 for too much optimism about the port industry. Facing the economic reality, FNV Havens identified two threats for dockworkers: unemployment because of automation and an attack on the working conditions.
Agreement
For that reason, FNV Havens in January 2012 made an agreement with both APM Terminals (the current one and the new one) about general terms of the transition of dockworkers from the current APMTR-terminal to APMT MVII. In that agreement also was agreed that the level of the working conditions on the new terminal, to be put in an own CBA for the new terminal, would be at least the level of the working conditions already agreed in the CBA for the current terminal.
Some figures
The new APM-terminal is due to be fully operational in November 2014.
The cargo that will be handled on the APMT MVII-terminal, will be Maersk Containers. Specifically: Maersk Line has decided that al their containers in the near future (2015) will be loaded an unloaded on the new, automated terminal. Tragically, those Maersk containers are 80% of the cargo that now is handled on the APMTR terminal.
Because of automation (for instance: straddle carriers are replaced by AGV’s), on the new terminal will employ about 340 people. The current APMTR-terminal employs 700 people. When one cuts off 20% of that amount for the non-Maersk cargo, you see that now 560 people do the work that in the future will be done by 340 people. Only 290 workers from APMTR can be employed at the new terminal; the rest of the jobs are already taken by the project people that are now involved with the building process.
Negotiations: CBA and extra protocol
Since April 2013 negotiations were going on with the management of the new APMT MVII
terminal for a CBA. Those negotiations are also for a protocol for the extra issues especially for
the dockers that will step over from the current APM-terminal to the new one.
Final offer and ultimatum from FNV Havens
The negotiations collapsed on the early morning of October 10th 2013. The management then put a final offer at the table. FNV Havens has discussed this final offer in membership meetings (members working at the APMTR-terminal). Unanimiously the members decided to reject the final offer and to set an ultimatum for APMT MVII. That ultimatum is set now: the APMT MVII management has to comply 11:00 CET Monday October 21st 2013 the demands of FNV Havens.
What is wrong with the final offer?
The main issues are:
Go (very) slow actions on the APMTR terminal
Since October 9th 2013 the workers at APMTR terminal spontanuously (future workers of APMT MVII) express their feelings about the attitude of APMT MVII management by working slow. FNV Havens is working hard to set the legal conditions that make it possible to take over these actions.
Since Maersk Line is the main client, that shipping line is struck by the actions. In reaction, Maersk Line diverts al ships to other ports in Europe. Most of the ships to the port of Antwerp, but it will certainly be possible for Maersk Line to choose other ports as well.
Final offer and ultimatum from FNV Havens
The negotiations collapsed on the early morning of October 10th 2013. The management then put a final offer at the table. FNV Havens has discussed this final offer in membership meetings (members working at the APMTR-terminal). Unanimiously the members decided to reject the final offer and to set an ultimatum for APMT MVII. That ultimatum is set now: the APMT MVII management has to comply 11:00 CET Monday October 21st 2013 the demands of FNV Havens.
What is wrong with the final offer?
The main issues are:
-
A couple of blue collar functions (jobs for about 100 people to be employed) are paid
less (up to € 9500 per year) than the are paid now at APMTR and other container terminals. Though the salary gap for APMTR-workers that could be employed in those jobs is repaired via the protocol, the fact is that any future docker that would fullfill the same job, would have lower wages;
-
APMT MVII wants to outsource activities that now are coverd by the CBA. So on top of
the jobs lost due to automation, APMT MVII wants to take other jobs from the dockers;
-
APMT MVII wants to be able to choose 3 days a year for every worker, on which he can
stay at home at his own costs when there is less work to do at the terminal. This is a
principal change, because employers risks would be shifted to the workers;
-
APMT MVII wants to reduce the amount of holidays workers have, compared to what is
agreed for APMTR and other container terminals;
-
APMT MVII doesn’t guarantee a budget to make it possible for all workers to work 80%
(part time) with 90% wage and 100% savings for pension during the last couple of years for retirement, nor for a regulation that retirement at the age of 65 (in stead of 67) brings in the financial reach of every docker. APMTR and other terminals do guarantee that.
-
APMT MVII doesn’t guarantee a budget to compensate or repair gaps in the retirement
perspectives that might occur (subject of investigation) when APMTR workers step over
to APMT MVII.
Go (very) slow actions on the APMTR terminal
Since October 9th 2013 the workers at APMTR terminal spontanuously (future workers of APMT MVII) express their feelings about the attitude of APMT MVII management by working slow. FNV Havens is working hard to set the legal conditions that make it possible to take over these actions.
Since Maersk Line is the main client, that shipping line is struck by the actions. In reaction, Maersk Line diverts al ships to other ports in Europe. Most of the ships to the port of Antwerp, but it will certainly be possible for Maersk Line to choose other ports as well.
In order to have maximal power on the negotiation table (since an ultimatum was set), FNV
Havens asks for all legal action that can be taken to show and express solidarity to the
dockers of APMT in Rotterdam.
It’s about dockers rights being attacked. It’s corporate greed versus solidarity.
FNV Havens, October 17th 2013
It’s about dockers rights being attacked. It’s corporate greed versus solidarity.
FNV Havens, October 17th 2013
Strike at APM Terminals Rotterdam causes delays, shipping lines' withdrawal
(SeeNews) - Oct 21, 2013 - The ongoing wildcat strike at APM Terminals' facility in Rotterdam in the Netherlands is causing delays in operations, which prompted some of the major container carriers to relocate their port calls to Belgium's Antwerp.
The strike has arisen following negotiations between labour unions and the port operator regarding working practices at the Maasvlakte 2 (MV II) terminal project.
APM Terminals Rotterdam's parent, Dutch container ports operator APM Terminals (APMT), said it can not predict the duration of the actions which started on October 10, 2013 in support of the negotiations for the collective labour agreements (CLA) for the MV II. The CLAs, prepared by APMT, were rejected by Dutch labour unions Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging (FNV) on October 14.
Meanwhile, container carriers Maersk Line, Hamburg Sud and Orient Overseas Container Line, or OOCL, announced on Thursday they had relocated their ports calls at the affected terminal to Belgium's Antwerp port.
The port operator in Rotterdam is using the pre-gate procedure for incoming trucks to improve the cargo handling process and to ensure a safe working environment for all staff and users.
APM Terminals and Maersk Line are part of Danish group AP Moller-Maersk A/S (CPH:MAERSK B).
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