Spanish dockworkers have said that they will be taking further industrial action across Spanish ports as their dispute relating to job security continues. Dockworker’s union Coordinadora Estatal de Trabajadores del Mar said this week that a strike notice would be issued, but did not give further details, stating that these were expected to be finalized next week.
The Spanish government has failed to approve a royal decree to establish an aid program for workers leaving the business, according to the unions.
The Spanish Public Works Ministry has said that the royal decree would be sent to the Council of State this week. The regulation gave a one year period for the collective agreements to be adapted to the decree, and it has been almost a year since the Spanish government passed that decree, which liberalizes its stevedoring sector in line with the EU regulations, thus avoiding the threat of a fine of up to E21m for supporting restrictive trade practices.
The stevedore unions staged nationwide strikes last year, demanding job guarantees for more than 6,000 workers.
After several strikes the unions agreed a deal with employers’ association Anesco to guarantee job security to all employees.
Anesco said that any more unrest would affect cargo traffic in Spanish ports. It claimed that the logistics and transport sectors in Spain could not afford the harmful consequences stemming from work stoppages. Anesco said that the Spanish government should approve the necessary regulation as soon as possible, thus providing the stevedores with a degree of certainty about their future.