On the eve of the entry into full effectiveness of the new IBF Dockers’ Clause our German affiliate ver.di is dedicating its Baltic Week of Action 2019 to lashing. The Week is a traditional part of the international campaign against social dumping on so-called ‘flag of convenience’ vessels.
The IBF Dockers’ Clause stipulate that lashing can be performed only by dockers. The revised clause, agreed in 2018, gives a stronger legal standing to enforce the dockers’ right to do the lashing. It is an important achievement, and the effect of a campaign run jointly by the ETF and ITF since 2015. The new Clause will allow to maintain employment in ports, and to protect seafarers from doing this dangerous, often unpaid, work.
The clause will be fully effective from 1 January 2020. It means that by this time on one hand the ports need to provide enough qualified lashers, and on the other – that the vessels are safe for the dockers to perform lashing. This is why ver.di, in cooperation with the ITF inspectors, focused this year’s Baltic Week of Action on inspecting lashing equipment aboard the ships.
The German dockers and seafarers were also joined by Niek Stam, the ETF Dockers’ Steering Committee member and the ITF Dockers’ Section vice-chair. He called for mobilisation during the last months before 1 January 2020 – so that the dockers are ready for the implementation of the new Dockers’ Clause from the day one!