The Finnish Port Operators Association (FPOA) brought labour actions launched by Finnish transport union AKT before the labour court last week to determine their legality.
The Finnish Transport Workers’ Union (AKT) has arranged blockades on several container feeders between August and January resulting in costly delays for shipping companies and ports.
The most recent blockade saw Unifeeder’s vessels boycotted in Finish ports last week in the ports of Rauma and Kotka.
The AKT demands that lashing and unlashing of containers on container feeders should be dockworkers’ job. Traditionally this job has belonged to sailors in all Finnish ports.
According to Unifeeder’s Spokesperson, over the weekend, the AKT decided to temporarily suspend the actions and the operation is currently normal.
“ The Finnish Port Operators Association has brought these blockades before the labour court in order to find out if these industrial actions have been illegal. At the present time the situation in Finnish ports is peaceful and there are no industrial actions,” Juha Mutru, Managing Director of FPOA told World Maritime News in an emailed statement.
Finnish Shipowners Association (FSA) said that the business activities of its members have not been influenced at this time by the said actions.
“The FSA is of course condemning such illegal actions against the industrial peace. On the whole the situation is frustrating for the’ ships crews because the cargo lashing and securing practices are varying very much already when you are comparing different EU ports with each other. Independently of who is performing the lashing and securing the most essential thing is that the ship is seaworthy when leaving the port ,” the Association’s Managing Director, Olof Widen commented.
World Maritime News Staff