Portnet and industry face R3m bill after Durban strike

DURBAN'S UNEXPECTED two-day dock strike by container straddle carriers brought the country's largest container terminal to a sudden halt last week, barely one week after Cape Town's workers had crippled that port with go slow rule. Meanwhile Portnet and the union have reached a compromise and workers have returned to duty, but the port and industry now face a bill of about R3 million, according to port manager Bax Nomvete.
The previous week Portnet announced new work methods aimed at improving productivity. These amounted to all lifting crews (straddle carrier and crane operators) working an eight-hour shift on a five hours on/five off basis instead of the present four hours on/four off. (Operators work on a basis of two-hours on, two-off over their eight hours.) The new scheme meant working five hours on and three off.
Portnet believed the new proposals would result in savings of up to R8,5 million in the first year and thereafter R6 million p.a. while leading to better productivity. The new proposals were partly a result of two new gantry cranes that are expected in July, which will require additional crewing from ten to twelve gangs. Under the old system Portnet would have to employ 96 new staff, whereas the new proposal meant that only 15 additional staff were required.
The proposal seems to have caught workers by surprise and resulted in the union issuing a 48-hours notice of strike on Friday 17 April unless the new scheme was cancelled. On Monday workers downed tools and the terminal was effectively closed for two days. Portnet sought an urgent court interdict in an attempt to enforce a return to work, although this measure was overruled by the court to enable the union to be heard before the court.
Agreement was finally reached in the early hours of Wednesday 22 April after which workers returned to work. Portnet has to delay implementing the new system for 7 days and will also hold workshops to explain its merits to union members.
According to Nomvete the strike resulted in 15 ships lying outside the port unable to enter. Seven others were stranded at the terminal with uncleared containers.