The first warning strikes by port workers in decades could soon increase the pressure on the already strained transport chains. “We expect a warning strike to start on Tuesday afternoon,” said the spokesman for the Hamburg port logistics company HHLA, Hans-Jörg Heims, on Friday. He referred to the corresponding leaflets that were circulating in the company. In view of the increasing container jams in front of and in the North Sea ports the labor dispute was untimely from HHLA’s point of view HHLA operates three container terminals in Germany’s largest seaport, making it by far the most important hub for the import and export of goods to and from Germany.
The Verdi union is arguing with the central association of German seaport companies about possible wage increases for 12,000 employees in the ports of Hamburg, Bremen and Lower Saxony. Given inflation and overtime during the pandemic, the union is not happy with previous offers. “We made everything possible that was possible,” said a Verdi spokesman. He did not want to comment on possible strike plans, but said: “The dock workers are angry.”
Verdi negotiator Maya Schwiegershausen-Güth told the German Press Agency that she did not want to take part in speculation. She referred to a press conference scheduled for Wednesday, in which she wants to comment on the further action of the union. The next round of negotiations is scheduled for next Friday. The peace obligation expired on June 1st.
Container ships are currently piling up in front of all ports on the North Sea coast, waiting to be cleared. “It’s not just a Hamburg problem,” said the HHLA spokesman. There are also traffic jams throughout the supply chain. HHLA, for example, has been struggling for months with containers that would otherwise be transported in one direction or the other within a few hours must be temporarily stored, which is why the operator always has to look for new storage areas where the containers can be parked.
In general, the global supply chains were already out of step with the beginning of the pandemic more than two years ago. This is not only an issue for logisticians, but also for consumers and companies as buyers and suppliers. From the point of view of the Kiel economic research institute IfW, what is new is that around two percent of global container loads are now stuck in the ports on the North Sea coast. “That’s a lot for the North Sea,” said IfW economist Vincent Stamer. The German ports, with Hamburg at the top, are not so badly affected – most ships are in the roadstead in front of Europe’s largest seaport, Rotterdam, and in front of Antwerp, the number 2. This is also confirmed by a look at the ship tracking service Vesselfinder.
Stamer attributes the problem in Europe primarily to the fact that the huge traffic jams in front of the major US ports on the West Coast have now cleared up. Up until a few months ago, there were sometimes more than 100 ships in the roadstead because the ports and hinterland traffic could not keep up with the unloading and onward transport of the goods. “The problem is shifting from one corner of the world to another,” Stamer said. There are also frequent traffic jams in front of Chinese ports due to corona lockdowns.
In view of the tense transport chains, the potential for pressure on the union in the collective bargaining conflict is likely to be particularly great. If there are actually strikes, they would be the first since the late 1970s. Because of the increase in prices of almost eight percent, Verdi is demanding an “actual inflation compensation” that is not specified in detail, as well as an increase in hourly wages by 1.20 euros. In addition, the union wants an increase of the so-called A flat rate for employees in container companies from 3338 euros per year by 1200 euros. The union justifies this with the enormous overtime burden in view of the persistent disruptions.
The employer side has so far offered two increases this year and next of 3.2 and 2.8 percent, one-off payments totaling 600 euros and an increase in the A allowance of 200 euros. Lead negotiator Ulrike Riedel also argues with the offer that the federal government has decided on various reliefs to relieve workers in view of the exploding energy costs. In combination with this, the employer’s offer ensures real wage security for the employees. (dpa)