The Port Network Authority and trade unions have reached a settlement. Two weeks after the strike that had been disrupting port operations on Livorno’s quays for ten days, the state of unrest has now been officially suspended.
This result was achieved after a long meeting convened this afternoon at Palazzo Rosciano by the president of the Port Network Authority which ended with the signing of a deal.
First and foremost, a process to stabilize Intempo’s temporary workers has now begun. In fact, President Guerrieri announced that consultations with the port companies in view of taking on five of these workers had been successful. The stabilization process will not stop here. It will continue on the basis of further discussions that the Port Network Authority hopes to develop once things have calmed down.
The other key point in the agreement concerns ALP, the agency authorized to provide temporary manpower for carrying out port operations and services, which 12 of the top port operators in Livorno have stakes in. “Discussions are underway on reorganizing ALP,” to quote the minutes of the agreement. “The last Shareholders’ Meeting did not result in a definitive policy. However, a further meeting will soon be convened which will address at least two important issues: the financial reorganization of the company in order to ensure the continuity of business activities and the definition of an appropriate workforce size.”
Moreover, in keeping with the need to provide a positive solution to Intempo’s precarious situations, the Port Authority took it upon itself to represent to ALP stakeholders the need for the continuation of the contractual relationship which currently exists with the temporary employment agency.
In addition – this is the third part of the agreement – the Port Network Authority has committed itself to continue to scrupulously enforce the rules on port work supervision, including the correct contractual classification in relation to the job levels set out in the sector’s national employment contract (CCNL).
Within the framework of the agreement, the parties finally agreed to draw up a Plan of Action aimed at training, retraining and outplacement of temporary port workers (article 17 of Italian Port Reform law n. 84/1994) and, more generally, of all workers employed in companies performing port operations/services and terminal operator companies (article 18 of Italian Port Reform law n. 84/1994).
Other points touched upon during the meeting were the need expressed by the Port Network Authority to continue its work on facilitating revising the current tariff ratios among companies operating in the port of Livorno’ and the opportunity to restart discussions with the employers’ organizations in view of a general reorganization of work in the port, with the aim of consolidating and strengthening current employment levels;
Both parties agreed to meet again on November 8th to assess how the agreement is proceeding.
In addition to Mr. Guerrieri, managing director Matteo Paroli and the state property manager Fabrizio Marilli were also present at the signing of the agreement for the Port Network Authority. Trade union confederations were represented by Fabrizio Zannotti and Monica Cavallini (CGIL) ; Massimo Marino (UIL) and Uliano Bardini (CISL).
Local union branches were represented by Giuseppe Gucciardo and Emiliano Nesi (Filt-CGIL); Dino Kezsei (FIT-CISL); Gianluca Vianello (UIL-Trasporti) and Filippo Bellandi (NIDIL-CGIL).
Translation by Giles Foster
