Irish cargo handling row

IRISH dockers claim won a victory last week after seafarers were stopped from unloading a vessel docked in Dublin port. They say their “victory” follows pressure from the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF).

An ITF statement says: “Ukrainian crew on board the German-owned and managed MV Aase, on charter to Irish specialist cement producer, Ecocem, were expected to unload a bulk cargo of cement in Dublin port on 3 August. This despite the fact that the crew were not trained or paid to carry out such work.”

ITF representatives Norrie McVicar and Ken Fleming went on board the vessel after they were informed that Ecocem was insisting that the crew should carry out the work. Ithe ITF says: “They were able to ensure that the cargo-handling clause of the management company’s agreement with the ITF was implemented.”

The ship was subsequently unloaded by dockers represented by the ITF-affiliated Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union (Siptu and employed by Dublin Cargo Handling, one of the main stevedoring firms in Dublin port.

Irish ITF Inspector Ken Fleming commented: “It is a scandal what Ecocem was attempting here today. The approach adopted by Ecocem reflects the ‘race to the bottom’ attitude that has, sadly, become prevalent in some sectors of Irish industry.”

ITF adds: “Ecocem appears since to have backed down on the matter after Siptu dockers were allowed to unload cargo from a second ship chartered by the company on its arrival in Dublin port on 5 August. Nevertheless a court injunction instigated by Ecocem against Siptu is still in place; the union’s legal team will lodge a petition against the injunction by the end of this week.”