On 11 February 2013, ETF General Secretary Eduardo Chagas took part in a delegation made of representatives of the Portuguese union SETC and of the IDC, which met Portuguese Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from different political groups at the European Parliament in Brussels. The purpose of the meetings was to raise awareness of the negative effects of the new Portuguese port law on dockers’ working and social conditions.
The delegations met MEPs from the EPP, S&D and GUEN/NGL group. One of the messages passed was on the impossibility to establish a dialogue with the government, notwithstanding the requests advanced by the unions and the requests put forward by trade unions to Portuguese embassies in many EU countries over the last weeks.
The meetings took place on the eve of the vote, by the EMPL Committee, on a report from MEP Cercas on Employment and social aspects of the role and operations of the Troika. The requests of the Troika are notably at the origin of the liberalisation process implemented in Portugal.
The ETF and its affiliates will keep supporting the campaign led by the Portuguese dockers. European dockworkers will meet in Lisbon on 5 March to show international solidarity to the local unions.