Contingency plans ensure 'minimal disruption',
writes Terry Hutson
SECTIONS OF the Durban port were adversely affected by strike action for much of last week as several hundred members of the Service Employees Industrial Union (SEIU) went on the rampage through Maydon Wharf and New Pier, attempting to prevent the use of labour brokers to recruit casual labour.
As a result ship working was disrupted and Portnet and the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) were forced to seek an urgent interdict from the labour court to prevent their workers being intimidated, assaulted or kidnapped.
According to the Association of Durban Stevedores, disruptive elements had taken control of the National Dock Labour Scheme (NDLS), which was introduced to provide a single source of casual labour, saying that employers had witnessed frequent use of violence and intimidation. SATAWU said its members were being intimidated and prevented from working and some members had been kidnapped.
The association informed the unions in December last year that it intended withdrawing its support from the NDLS as the single pool system was, in its opinion, unworkable. This took effect in March while the unions and employers continued talks to find common ground.
Subsequent to this most employers made use of a number of labour brokers and according to the association there was a period of stability and improvement in productivity.
The ongoing discussions ultimately broke down before any lasting solutions could be found and in September the unions declared a dispute, referring the matter to the CCMA. On November 16 the Service Employees Industrial Unio n (SEIU), acting unilaterally, notified SA Port Operations that it intended to strike on Monday November 19. SEIU leader Willie Cirah said the strike would continue indefinitely and his union demanded the withdrawal of the labour brokers from the NDLS and its restructuring.
ÒWe will see to it that this port is closed and that nothing is loaded onto or taken off any ship which comes into Durban harbour," he told a Durban newspaper.
The Association of Durban Stevedores said employers refused to bow to the behaviour of the strikers and would not concede to the methods and tactics being employed. It made an urgent appeal to the National Ports Authority (NPA) to seek an urgent interdict to prevent any further disruption by members of SEIU.
On Thursday the NPA, the Stevedores' Association and one of the labour brokers sought and obtained an interim order in the Labour Court, restraining SEIU members from intimidating or preventing other employees from working or providing a service to port users.
The NPA said that as soon as it had become aware of the strike action it had implemented its contingency plan involving the SA Police Services.
ÒThese actions went a long way to ensuring minimal disruptions to port activities," it said in a statement on Friday.
