Season’s greetings from MTAF.
It has been quite a while since our last update from Mosjoen, Norway and as the holiday season is upon us it’s perhaps time to reflect on what has happened in the year that’s almost behind us.
As many of you know we have had a lockout situation at the Mosjoen docks since May 2014 so we are fast approaching our second year in lockout by Grieg Logistics(www.grieglogistics) and Alcoa. (www.alcoa.com)
A quick recap of the situation is that Grieg Logistics failed to pay our salary on time numerous times and when we took action to protest this and stopped work, we got our ISPS cards invalidated by Alcoa and the police to escort us out.
A few days later we received a letter from Alcoa stating that they would press charges against us if we where to show our faces in there again.
Just about the only response we have had from our counterparts in Grieg this year is that they informed in a meeting in Oslo that they were prepared to take in 6 men out of 17 as permanent employees and thus conclude the matter.
Needless to say we refused this shameless offer right away,as it is ridiculous for us to apply to jobs we already have or as one of our more experienced members put it: why should I apply for a job I have had for 30 years?
And there it stands, as of now we are confident that Grieg and Alcoa will be put in front of the Labor Arbitration court in January/February 2016 as all attempts at negotiation have failed.
Grieg Logistics as previously mentioned not been willing to negotiate a meaningful solution and Alcoa who has us locked out from the docks claim they are an innocent 3rd party to the conflict. The Workers Union
IndustriEnergi (www.industrienergi.no)who’s members continue to do our work as they have done since the beginning of the conflict claim they are doing nothing wrong and have to our great disappointment refused to support us in our struggle.
The lockout in Mosjoen is now lasted nearly 2 years and we do now as we did then hold our heads high and we have observed other union members take our jobs at a moment’s notice , we have observed the employer at the port play with said union member’s lives by blatantly ignoring all safety protocols considered fundamental to us. It is reprehensible for all parties involved.
It is safe to say that dockers all over Norway have been forced to fight for their jobs one way or another the past year.
In Oslo the dockers have been stonewalled by the port authority and Yilport
(www.yilport.com)who took over terminal operations in February 2015. In Tromsø the dockers have been locked out and arrested during legal demonstrations.
In many other ports the dockers have gotten the message that the terminal operators intend “not to practice” valid and signed CBAs and thus leave many of them out of a job.
This is a blatant and coordinated attack on the dockers and ILO 137 by NHO
(The national employers organization)and is in some cases firmly supported by the Port Authorities as in Oslo and Tromsø and other labor unions as in Oslo, Mosjoen, Tromsø and Mo I Rana.
The onslaught we have faced from nearly all directions has been met as before with stone hard determination and the realization that we fight on behalf of all working people,it is crystal clear that when employers can say; “there is a CBA but we will not practice it” that there is grave danger for all employees out there.
There have been dozens of demonstrations, rallies and blockades. We have
travelled up and down our long and narrow country to show our support and solidarity.
Others have joined the fight on our behalf with support in rallies or with contributions.
More and more are waking up and seeing the storm ahead.
The support from our brethren both home and abroad has been paramount in our struggle to preserve our livelihood, we are out most grateful to everyone who has given their time and effort to fight the good fight and right what is so clearly wrong.
Hopefully 2016 will be a fruitful year for us and other working people out there.
Lets not forget that solidarity is our most prized possession and with that we shall triumph.
In solidarity; A very merry Christmas and a happy New Year from MTAF in Mosjøen, Norway.
For more information please contact mtaf1938@gmail.com
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