Unions call off Lisbon port strikes
Strikes by stevedores at the Port of Lisbon have been called off, as an agreement has been reached between the port authority and the Stevedores Union of Central and Southern Portugal. The announcement was made by the Maritime Minister, Ana Paula Vitorino, who referred to the deal as “a social peace agreement”, which will eventually lead to both parties signing a new collective bargaining agreement.
The port has been hit by a series of strikes since November 2015, with neither party able to agree a way forward. However, the new deal is expected to be fully in place by February 29th.
To ensure that agreement could be reached, Ms Vitorino had to guarantee that both sides would make concessions. She also guaranteed that salaries would be paid to workers and that normal working conditions would be resumed at the port.
With both Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk Line having abandoned the port because of uncertainties surrounding the loading and discharge of containers, the race is now on to woo them back. According to the minister, she is preparing a diplomatic financial strategy to this end, as well as aiming to find new business, too.
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