Dock workers in Spain face bleak future

The downturn in traffic at the port of Bilbao has resulted in the threat of layoffs for dockers employed by the stevedoring company. Container and dry bulk traffic declined by 44% in January. In the meantime, holiday pay adjustments and early retirement programmes are being pursued.

A similar situation has occurred in Barcelona, where container throughput is down 25.8% and the number of new vehicles being handled down by 78%. Around 1,200 dockers could be forced to work short time or be laid off entirely if the situation continues.

At Castellon, half of all dockworkers are effectively without work after box traffic declined by 46% and dry bulk traffic by 60%. Around 70 dockworkers face either losing their job or being put on short time working.

In Las Palmas, the dock workers’ company, Sestiba, is on the verge of bankruptcy because of the collapse in container traffic occurring there.