IDC ETF
Yesterday, 5 March 2014 twenty dockworkers’ unions from sixteen countries affiliated to
the ETF (European Transport Workers’ Federation) and the IDC (International
Dockworkers’ Council) have met in Lisbon and state the following:
We are monitoring the situation in Greece and especially the attempts of the Greek
government to privatize the public ports, beginning with the Piraeus Port Authority.
We are aware that HRDAF-Hellenic Republic Assets Development Fund introduced a draft
Call for Proposals in a committee of the Hellenic Parliament for a 67% privatization of the
Piraeus Port Authority – the majority of the shares of the biggest public port in Greece.
We are also aware that a broad coalition of dockworkers' unions, local chambers of
commerce, trade unions and municipalities strongly oppose this decision and demand that
the government withdraw its plans for the full privatization of a port that is very important
not only for Piraeus but for the entire Greek economy and society.
We strongly condemn the planned sell-off. It is obvious that it will be used to establish a
big private monopoly in Piraeus by COSCO. The announced second amendment between
COSCO and PPA is intended to depreciate the value of the Port Authority. The privatization
of 67% of the shares will result in the establishment of a strong monopoly by COSCO in
Piraeus.
COSCO's anti-labor practices are well-known and will expand to the whole port after the
privatization. Professionals in other port sectors like the ship repair industry, tag services
and shipping agencies are afraid that the establishment of COSCO will result in further
changes in these sectors throughout the port.
For this reason, and because of the experience of having had COSCO in the concessed
container terminal of Piraeus now for four years, all of these representative organizations
are against the privatization of PPA.
We are following the developments carefully. We fully support the struggle of our
colleagues and their respective labor organizations and we call on the Greek government to
take back its decision to sell off the most profitable public port in Greece. Ports are engines
for growth and are very important for the integrity and cohesion of a country like Greece
with so many islands. Additionally, if the port is privatized, very important public services
will no longer be guaranteed.
Lisbon, 5 March 2014
Yesterday, 5 March 2014 twenty dockworkers’ unions from sixteen countries affiliated to
the ETF (European Transport Workers’ Federation) and the IDC (International
Dockworkers’ Council) have met in Lisbon and state the following:
We are monitoring the situation in Greece and especially the attempts of the Greek
government to privatize the public ports, beginning with the Piraeus Port Authority.
We are aware that HRDAF-Hellenic Republic Assets Development Fund introduced a draft
Call for Proposals in a committee of the Hellenic Parliament for a 67% privatization of the
Piraeus Port Authority – the majority of the shares of the biggest public port in Greece.
We are also aware that a broad coalition of dockworkers' unions, local chambers of
commerce, trade unions and municipalities strongly oppose this decision and demand that
the government withdraw its plans for the full privatization of a port that is very important
not only for Piraeus but for the entire Greek economy and society.
We strongly condemn the planned sell-off. It is obvious that it will be used to establish a
big private monopoly in Piraeus by COSCO. The announced second amendment between
COSCO and PPA is intended to depreciate the value of the Port Authority. The privatization
of 67% of the shares will result in the establishment of a strong monopoly by COSCO in
Piraeus.
COSCO's anti-labor practices are well-known and will expand to the whole port after the
privatization. Professionals in other port sectors like the ship repair industry, tag services
and shipping agencies are afraid that the establishment of COSCO will result in further
changes in these sectors throughout the port.
For this reason, and because of the experience of having had COSCO in the concessed
container terminal of Piraeus now for four years, all of these representative organizations
are against the privatization of PPA.
We are following the developments carefully. We fully support the struggle of our
colleagues and their respective labor organizations and we call on the Greek government to
take back its decision to sell off the most profitable public port in Greece. Ports are engines
for growth and are very important for the integrity and cohesion of a country like Greece
with so many islands. Additionally, if the port is privatized, very important public services
will no longer be guaranteed.
Lisbon, 5 March 2014
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