Spanish Government Declares War on the Wharfies of Spain-International Day of Action March 10
• IDC encourages affiliated members to reach out to/hold demonstrations at embassies abroad.
Solidarity Rally and Speakout In SF-Hands Off Spanish Dockers And Smash Deregulation and Union Busting
Friday March 10, 2017 12:00 noon
Spanish Consulate San Francisco
1405 Sutter St.
San Francisco, CA
Initiated By UPWA.info
No. 78 – Tuesday 1 March, 2017
FELLOW WORKERS
The Spanish Government is hellbent on attempting to destroy the most MILITANT and principled industry organised workers in Spain – the Spanish Dockers.
We must stand shoulder to shoulder with our Spanish
brothers and sisters. I urge all member to read this leaflet from the IDC and to fight for the dockers of Spain and when the Branch calls on you, to support our fellow comrades. WE DO IT AS ONE!
IDC Response to the Royal Decree to Reform the Spanish Port System
February 27 2017. Last Friday, the Spanish Minister of Public Works announced his plan to reform the Spanish port system. He will enact a decree issued by the Court of Justice of the Union European Union, a modification which will result the sacking of 6,500 dockworkers. The plan is to fire Spanish dockworkers at a rate of 25% of their full strength each year, which means an absolute extinction of their employment within three years. Sacked dockworkers are to receive a severance packages of only 20 paid days per year worked.
"The Spanish Government threatens the growth of the Spanish economy and seeks to make the dockworker profession disappear from national ports," rules Jordi Aragunde, IDC General Coordinator.
The Spanish port workers ́ union Coordinadora Estatal de Trabajadores del Mar – CETM plans to hold industrial action in the ports of Spain for 12 hours during each of the following days: The days 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, and 24 of March, 2017.
It remains for IDC to raise support to resist this modification of the Spanish Port System. Following the Emergency IDC ZCO Meeting in Algeciras, Spain on February 28, 2017, IDC decided to take the following actions:
1. A unified action of solidarity with Spanish Dockworkers as they strike on March 10, 2017. All European Ports are to suspend work from 12:00pm-3:00pm, and all other ports outside of Europe are to suspend action from 12:00pm - 1:00pm.
2. IDC will stage a walk out of the Sectoral Social Dialogue on Ports Meeting at the European Commission on March 1, 2017.
• IDC will meet with ITF to collaborate in a joint action in support of Spanish dockworkers.
• IDC will work to ensure ports neighbouring Spain will not receive re-routed cargo turned away form Spain due to industrial actions [in Marseille, FOS, Lisbon (IDC); and Tanger (ITF)].
• IDC will ask Lisbon to hold actions in Sines to avoid further conflicts.
• At the end of March, if no changes have occurred, IDC will organize differential treatment/boycotts of strategic Spanish export cargo.
• IDC encourages affiliated members to reach out to/hold demonstrations at embassies abroad.
• IDC will continue to offer support to /Coordinadora/ and work to show Spanish dockworkers that they are not alone.
• IDC will make the situation in Spanish Ports priority for all IDC Zone Coordinators, who will be responsible for coordinating actions in their respective regions.
IDC supports Spanish Dockworkers in their struggle to defends their professions and protect their families from looming insecurity.
WE WILL NEVER WALK ALONE AGAIN!
In solidarity,
Jordi Aragunde
IDC General Coordinator