Setúbal. Port operators deplore the union's refusal of proposals

The associations representing the port operators of Setubal deplored on Tuesday the refusal of the proposal presented by the handlers' union to solve the precarious situation in the port of Setúbal, which provided for the hiring of 56 workers.

In an open letter to the Lusa agency, the Association of Shipping Agents and Port Operators (Anesul) and the Maritime and Port Association (AOP) assert that the proposal "defends workers from the port of Setúbal, at the same time as ensuring the competitiveness and sustainability of this port. "

The proposal was presented at a meeting convened by the government and which brought together the Ministry of the Sea and 13 entities to discuss the employment situation of potential settlers from Setúbal, who have not worked since. the beginning of the month.

"Inexplicably, the union did not accept the proposal and insists on maintaining a strike and a judgment trying to justify them by an alleged solidarity with the workers of the port of Leixões, represented about 90% by another union, integrated in a national federation of workers Ports, "said the associations.

In the open letter, Anesul and AOP say: "We continue to wait for this proposal to be accepted by the union, reviewing its position in defense of labor, our workers and our port of Setúbal."

Expressing Monday before the end of the meeting, the Minister of the Sea, Ana Paula Vitorino, assured the opening of the union, operators and the administration of the port in order to solve the problem of the precariousness in Setúbal, although molds of negotiation.

"At the moment, we have the will and the will to solve the problem of precariousness … even if there is a divergence between the trade unions and the companies." One party proposes to create 48 new contracts, of the 39; other 30, I think that it will be possible to reach agreement, "said the manager.

Moreover, in a statement issued on Tuesday, Operestiva, a company to which port dockers in Setúbal have been working since the beginning of the month, believes that the government's proposal to reduce the number of workers in this port resolves all the problems raised by the union.

The company said that the proposal presented Monday by the Ministry of the Sea to reduce the number of casualties in the port of Setúbal on Monday was "reasonable" and that, if accepted by the Logistics and Logistics Business Union (SEAL ), "all the issues raised by casual workers".

The official said the government's proposal had been accepted by himself, as well as by the operators of the port of Setúbal and the associations representing them, and regrets that the SEAL has rejected it.

The company claims to have also submitted several proposals, which were rejected by the SEAL, which today convened a meeting with dockers from the port of Setúbal to analyze the meeting, followed by a press conference at the Old auditorium Charlot de Setúbal.