docks
News and articles about work, policy and workers' struggles in transport and distribution around the world.
Coordinadora - Spanish dock workers build union without bureaucrats
Article by Don Fitz about the Coordinadora Estatal de Trabajadores del Mar, a Spanish dock workers union, which is very uncritical, but contains useful information.
"The unity maintained during our difficult strike [in 1976] taught us that this unity was too precious to be destroyed by endless sloganeering and sectarianism. We understood that our decisions could not be delegated to union bureaucrats.
New Zealand: Maritime workers take fight to gates of Port of Napier
Over 100 workers gathered outside the gates of the Port of Napier on Saturday morning to protest the loss of secure jobs.
Mediation between the Maritime Union and Port Company is taking place currently, in an effort to stop moves by the Port of Napier to contract out stevedoring work which threatens 25 permanent and 60 casual jobs, with workers to be thrown on the scrap heap just before Christmas.
1911: Liverpool general transport strike
A short history of the strike movement that took hold of Liverpool during the summer of 1911. Culminating in a massive general strike of all transport workers, the movement displayed some of the most extraordinary scenes of class solidarity seen in Britain.
The strike movement of Liverpool occurred during the great period of industrial unrest that was to grip Britain between 1910 and the outbreak of the First World War. Beginning with a walk-out of seamen, the strike soon snowballed and went on to reach epic proportions, involving up to 70,000 people.
India: Wildcat strike following docks death
Ships were stranded at India's Haldia port after the workers walked out following the death of a colleague.
The death, ironically, came at a time when the port trust is observing a ‘Dock Safety Week’.
Transport strikes across Italy
Italy's biggest transport strike in 25 years forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights, idled trains, anchored ships, and stalled buses across the country on Friday.
Aero-news.net reported that Italian carrier Alitalia canceled 217 domestic and international flights before a four-hour walkout by pilots, flight crew and ground staff beginning at 11 am. Air One, Italy's number two carrier, only guaranteed nine flights there.
1935: Battle of Ballantyne Pier
A short history and background of the 1935 dockers' strike and subsequent bloody confrontation with police in Vancouver that became known as the Battle of Ballantyne Pier.
The story of the Battle of Ballantyne Pier can be traced back to 1912 when the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), began organising amongst waterfront workers in Canada, and alongside the Lumber Handlers’ Union in Vancouver.
Workers of the world tonight: International dockers struggles of the 1980s
BM Blob's pamphlet on the struggles of dock workers across the world during the 1980s.
Translated and produced by individuals in Lisbon, Barcelona, Arhus, London, New York
Introduction by BM Blob
Scottish dock workers ballot for strike action
After a wildcat strike last month, 1200 workers at Rosyth Royal Dockyard have announced they are to ballot on industrial action in their dispute over pensions.
Shop stewards for the four main unions at the yard decided to request the ballot on Wednesday 11 July. The result will be declared on 25 July.
Workers will be asked to vote on whether to back strike action and action short of a strike, with a strong recommendation from shop stewards to vote yes on both counts.
Strike Across The Empire, 1925 - Baruch Hirson and Lorraine Vivian
A fascinating and detailed account of a little known international seamens' strike in 1925, lasting over 100 days and spreading from Britain to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
The strikers confronted the shared hostility of governments, employers and union leaders alike. The text also deals with how the racism prevalent in the labour movement affected the conduct and outcome of the strike.
"THIS IS A STRIKE that has vanished from history. In August 1925, the seamen of Britain, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand walked off their ships in protest against a ten per cent wage cut. It was one of the few genuinely international strikes, directed against a powerful international cartel. One would have expected it to be widely debated. Yet, newspaper coverage apart, history has largely been silent.
Scotland: Dockers strike over pensions
Hundreds of workers at Rosyth naval dockyard in Fife yesterday ignored the pleas of union officials and walked out in a row over pension cuts
The Daily Record reported that more than 600 workers - almost all those in the yard at the time-took part in the wildcat strike.
They are furious at changes to their pension scheme.
Babcock International, who run the yard, have told workers they will have to pay more into the scheme but will receive smaller pensions when they retire.
