The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has issued the following news release and accompanying resolution. Both are available on the ITF web site hereThe International Transport Workers’ Federation’s port workers’ unions today pledged themselves to the cause of assuring port security, and warned that the ISPS code must be rigidly upheld – not undermined by using it as a backdoor way of introducing casual labour and selfhandling. Meeting in Singapore, the ITF Dockers’ Section Conference moved to support the new legislation but flagged up areas of concern.
In today’s resolution the port workers’ representatives noted areas where the code might be open to abuse as a way of undermining existing negotiated conditions, thereby also decreasing security. These included: possible use of casual labour who do not meet security standards and the potential use of ISPS to exclude ITF inspectors and even dockers from ships, in order to facilitate selfhandling of cargo by seafarers.
The conference also reiterated its opinion that empty containers are a security risk unless they are inspected.
ITF Dockers’ Section Secretary Kees Marges commented: “It is widely recognised that ports are potentially attractive terrorist targets. Those who work in them are committed to doing all they can to prevent that happening. Port security is too important to be misused for union busting and the introduction of selfhandling by seafarers via the back door.”
Resolution on Port Security
PORT SECURITY IS TOO IMPORTANT TO BE MISUSED
The ITF Dockers Section Conference, meeting in Singapore on 13 and 14 July 2004,
NOTING the introduction of the IMO ISPS Code and the ILO-IMO Port Security Code on July the 1st, 2004;
ACKNOWLEDGING the need in certain circumstances to introduce legislation and measures aimed at improving the security in ports and of port workers;
IS OF THE OPINION however that ports and terminals where port work is being carried out by workers who are not registered as port workers and employed on a casual basis, can never meet the security standards required by the IMO-ISPS Code and thus those ports should not be issued certificates indicating that they are meeting ISPS standards and requirements;
IS ALSO OF THE OPINON that containers, including empty containers, which are imported without their contents being properly checked cause serious security risks, including to our members and therefore should not be allowed to be transported without proper inspection by port workers;
HAVING CONSIDERED that the new security legislation which has been introduced in countries and ports, could be used and is being used as a tool for union busting and other violations of trade union rights; in particular the use of ship and or port facility security plans to exclude port workers and their representatives and ITF Inspectors from carrying out their traditional employment and other duties;
DEPLORES any attempt to use the ISPS Code and related national legislation and measures to undermine the position of organised labour in the maritime and port industries;
CALLS ON the ITF Secretariat to request affiliated port workers unions to be alert to the use of the ISPS Code and related national legislation for union busting purposes and to report each case to the ITF enabling the ITF to report those cases to all affiliates and to keep records of them in order to use this information where and when appropriate.
FURTHER CALLS ON the ITF to formulate policies and actions ensuring that the ISPS Code and related codes and legislation and in particular ship and or port facility security plans do not interfere with the rights of port workers and their representatives to carry out their traditional employment and other duties and to have ITF Inspectors to access all terminals and ships;
EMPHASISE that the action should be seen as part of the wider ITF campaign on Safety, Security and workers’ rights.
###
Printer Friendly Page