Source: Reuter; Logfret Germany
Date: 23rd June 2022
German trade union ver.di called on several thousand employees at German ports to take part in a 24-hour warning strike from Thursday morning, potentially further increasing difficulties at already strained ports.
Workers in Emden, Bremerhaven, Bremen, Brake, Wilhelmshaven and Hamburg were called on to take part after the fourth round of wage negotiations fell through. The union is demanding a pay rise of 1.20 euros ($1.26) per hour and inflation compensation over 12 months for some 12,000 workers.
The union had already called for temporary work stoppages to increase the pressure on employers at the start of June.
Ports are already clogged up as import containers are not being picked up and slots are in short supply, forcing shipping companies to go off schedule.
According to the Hamburg coordination office, half a dozen container ships are waiting to dock in Germany’s bay alone.
Industry experts expect the situation on the North Sea coast to worsen in the coming weeks, as many ships are on their way to Europe following the end of the lockdowns in China.
According to Logfret Germany, they are already facing a major delay in schedules (even without the strike) due to massive traffic jams of big vessels in front of Hamburg and Bremerhaven which is also creating a great impact on all neighbouring countries. And not forgetting that all other ports in Europe are also congested and delayed as well. With the potential strike again from today onward, it will increase the operational problems, affecting all other European ports again in DE, NL, BE, F, UK, PL, etc. by causing more delays and schedule changes.
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