The Spanish government has postponed a vote on its contentious port reforms till next week, while talks continue between port employers and unions over new collective bargaining agreements.
But tensions are high and the Spanish trade unions plan to strike tomorrow (Friday), with international dockworkers’ unions from neighbouring countries planning to join the industrial action in support of their Spanish colleagues.
This is a result of the unions’ response to the government’s reform plan, according to which at least 6 500 dockworkers could be laid off in the future.
The new law would also enable ports to hire non-unionised dockworkers instead of the unionised ones and stevedoring companies would not have to be members of local stevedoring societies known as the Dockers’ Management Public Limited Liability Company - in Spanish: ‘Sociedad Anonima de Gestion de Estibadores Portuarios’ (Sagep).
