Spain's port workers begin three-day strike

Record ID: 878258

  • Title: Spain's port workers begin three-day strike
  • Date: 5th June 2017
  • Summary: VALENCIA, SPAIN (JUNE 5, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PORT OPERATING DURING EVEN HOURS (STRIKE IS ONLY DURING ODD HOURS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VALENCIA PORT AUTHORITY HEAD OF PRESS, VICENT PALACI, SAYING: "Today has been more fluid compared to previous strikes. Maybe the transport companies, alerted by the possibility of the strike and expecting problems in traffic, decided to postpone activity to another day." VARIOUS OF CARGO SHIP POLICE BOAT PATROLLING PORT VARIOUS OF PORT OPERATING
  • Embargoed: 19th June 2017 14:16
  • Keywords: Valencia Bilbao port workers dock workers Spain strike ports
  • Location: BILBAO AND VALENCIA, SPAIN
  • City: BILBAO AND VALENCIA, SPAIN
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA0026K044LJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Spanish port workers began a three-day strike on Monday (June 5) to protest against the reform of operations aimed at liberalising hiring practices in a heavily-unionised sector. The strike will continue on Wednesday (June 7) and Friday (June 9).
    Companies currently have no say over hiring and firing at Spanish ports. A new law passed by Spain's parliament aims to permit them to choose their own staff rather than being bound by union-approved lists.
    Around two-thirds of Spain's imports and exports pass through its ports, and prolonged industrial action could be painful for the country's automobile industry and chemical sector, and ruin fruit and vegetable cargoes.
    Workers last week cancelled five out of eight days of planned strikes after port representatives said they had reached a preliminary agreement on workers' rights with dockers. But unions said the remaining three days of strikes will go ahead after talks broke down over safeguarding the more than 6,000 jobs in Spanish ports.
    On Monday dock workers and union representatives said they were happy with the response to the strike which calls on workers to walk-out during odd hours of the day. Ports are expected to run as normal during even hours and minimum services stipulated by law will allow ports to continue working albeit at a slower pace.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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