Stevedores fight for better services in the Port of Santos

Stevedores in the Port of Santos are demanding access to better services for around 650 workers, the estimated amount of off-book workers that should be transferred to permanent positions recognized by the Labor Management Body (Ogmo). The dockers also threatened to halt port operations in case the problems persist.

“The last time a recruitment process for new stevedores was open, and people were hired for on-the-books positions was 2010. We have registered workers dreaming about an [official workbook record] for more than 25 years,” explains Bruno José dos Santos, the president of Sindestiva, the union of stevedores in the Santos region.

He emphasized that the Port of Santos stevedores are also demanding the creation of a recruitment process. According to Bruno, the current workforce is out-of-date due to absences, retirements, the mandatory 11 hours of rest, and casualties. On Tuesday, July 13, the union president said that more than 60 off-book workers were missing for services, causing two vessels to be inoperative.

Dilemma 

According to Bruno, the current reality of the dockers is far from ideal, mainly because, in 2021, there were several negotiations between Sindestiva and the Union of Port Operators of the State of São Paulo (Sopesp) to deal with work demands of both parties.

“We are reaching a collective agreement with the employers, but, in February this year, they added a new item on the negotiations,” said the unionist in reference to Sopesp’s request to regularize about 2,500 workers employed by the port of Santos who did not were Ogmo member. “We couldn’t circumvent Federal Law 12,815, so they (Sopesp) stopped negotiating.”

After that, workers began to organize demonstrations. So far, four marches have already taken place in Santos, and one of them went through the Public Ministry, where unionists talked to prosecutors about the situation.

“First, we want to draw the attention of the authorities and the population. We think about paralyzing the Port of Santos if it doesn’t work out. All worker categories have had similar problems in the area. Our region has many unemployed people, the pier needs workers, and they don’t open vacancies. It’s absurd.”

Employment 

The difference between the two types of service mentioned by Bruno José dos Santos is that stevedores working on the book may choose the best services at the Santos pier. “Off-book independent workers are only called upon after registered dockers have done their choosing, so they take the jobs that are left over, the worst ones,” concludes the president of Sindestiva.

Source: A Tribuna

To read the full original article, please go to: https://www.atribuna.com.br/noticias/portomar/estivadores-lutam-por-acesso-a-melhores-servicos-no-porto-de-santos

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