Dockers unions from around the world united today in Singapore around defending and advancing the rights of dock workers globally.
Trade unions and their members are confronted by threats every day. The threat that automation and digitalisation poses for dockers was expressed by dockers from Europe, Australia, Africa and Asia. Automation can be negotiated, but it has also been used to union-bust and disadvantage dockers across the world.
Unions were resolute that we need to build the capacity of our unions in order to confront the challenge that automations poses for working men and women on the waterfront.
Solidarity and support was expressed for unions fighting against union-busting, exploitation and the crippling of communities by global network terminal operators.
Today hundreds of dockers showed their support and solidarity for their sisters and brothers in Cameroon following the vicious attacks and imprisonment of dockers and targeting of trade unionists at the Port of Douala.
The entire ITF Dockers family called on French stevedoring company, Bolloré to immediately intervene to end the attacks on the Douala dockers.
The Dockers’ Section also committed to the campaign to reclaim lashing. Enrico Tortolano from the Dockers’ Section said, “We need to continue the fight. We are determined to win. We are not going to see dockers lose jobs. We are not just talking about our jobs. We are talking about our children’s and their children’s jobs. We need to make sure that they exist in the future.”
The epidemic of deaths and injuries on the waterfront was also reaffirmed the section’s drive and determination that no docker should die at work.