Excerpts from the Handy Shipping Guide:
Unions Disgruntled as Little Progress in Grain Handling Dispute Lingers On
Negotiations between the multinational grain companies and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) have been ongoing since August last year and thousands of union members in the Pacific NorthWest voted against a deal in December leading to deadlock. Now a statement from the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) makes it clear that this is an argument still with some way to run.The solidarity clause agreed by ITF member unions is very specific in that it expressly forbids anyone involved, including ships crews, to undertake work which has been suspended during an official trade dispute involving an ITF-affiliated dock workers’ union if it might affect resolution of the dispute. The agreement also states that the shipping companies involved should their staff take this action will not treat this as a breach of contract nor take ‘punitive action’ against the crew. Photo features ITF affiliate seafarers supporting ILWU in grain negotiations, January 2013.
Now the ITF claims they are receiving support from associated union members such as the captain and crew of the Ramada Queen which, whilst docked at United Grain in Vancouver, apparently stated they were aware of the dispute and expressed solidarity with the ILWU on behalf of their own union, the Japanese Seamen’s Union (JSU).
It is to be hoped in the light of the recent agreements reached elsewhere in the country in somewhat similar disputes that a suitable agreement can be reached before the situation worsens.
