Spanish unions call for more port strikes

The strikes will take place from May 24 until June 9, during odd hours each Monday, Wednesday and Friday, according to a report from industry news outlet Lloyd’s List.    Spanish trade unions have called for another wave of port strikes in protest of the government’s plan to change the existing labor system at ports in accordance with European Union regulations.
   Unions said they would hold strikes from May 24 until June 9, during odd hours each Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Lloyd’s List reported.
   Sources in Spain said worker productivity has already intentionally declined. Maersk Line noted how slow-down actions on terminal operations have been initiated at the ports of Algeciras, Valencia and Barcelona starting on Monday.
   Spain’s Council of Ministers approved the reforms on Friday, and the Spanish parliament now has within the next month to ratify the proposal, Lloyd’s List said. The proposal seeks to liberalize the stevedore profession by eliminating Sagep – the private enterprise pool company that employers must use to hire stevedores – and limiting collective bargaining.
   The government’s first attempt to legislate the reform failed with parliament’s rejection in mid-March, but Spanish media outlets are reporting that the Catalan Demographic Party is ready to support the reforms in parliament, giving the government the majority it needs, Lloyd’s List said.
   Looking ahead, Maersk Line said in a notice to customers, “We are currently assessing what impact these actions will have on our operations and are committed to sharing more information with you as soon as possible.”