Work in large container terminals in the port of Rotterdam has largely come to a standstill due to the strike of lashers. This is what lashing companies Matrans and ILS say. The strike started on Wednesday afternoon and will last 48 hours.
Lashers are responsible for loosening and securing containers on ships and quays. Trade union FNV announced the strike on Tuesday after wage negotiations broke down.
“Due to the storm last Saturday and Sunday, the port is quite full with ships that all need to be loaded or unloaded,” FNV director Niek Stam said on Tuesday at the announced strike. “Those ships cannot go to sea if they are not lashed down and when ships come in they cannot be unloaded.”
The union demands a wage increase of 7 percent and that wages rise in line with inflation. The port companies do not go along with this. FNV expects the strike to shut down the entire port on Wednesday.
Work in large container terminals in the Port of Rotterdam is largely at a standstill due to the strike by stevedores. This is according to stevedoring companies Matrans and ILS. The strike began on Wednesday afternoon and will last 48 hours.
Stevedores are responsible for securing and releasing containers on ships and quays. The FNV trade union announced the strike on Tuesday after wage negotiations broke down.
“Due to the storm last Saturday and Sunday, the port is quite full of ships that all need to be loaded or unloaded,” said FNV director Niek Stam on Tuesday when the strike was announced. “Those ships cannot go to sea if they are not secured, and if ships come in, they cannot be unloaded.”
The union is demanding a 7 percent wage increase and that wages rise with inflation. The port companies are not agreeing to this. FNV expects the strike to bring the entire port to a standstill on Wednesday.