Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2006, published 96th ILC session (2007)

The Committee notes the communication from three dockworkers’ unions of the port of Suape, in the State of Pernambuco (FENCCOVIB, FNE and FNP), which was forwarded to the Government in February 2006. According to these unions, as of 16 May 2004, a private port operator stopped hiring dockworkers registered in the registry (trabalhadores portuários avulsos em sistema de rodízio) and proceeded to hire 250 workers under precarious conditions. The dockworkers’ unions maintain that the hiring carried out by the private port operator is inconsistent with the national legislation relating to ports and with the provisions of both Convention No. 137 and the Dock Work Recommendation, 1973 (No. 145). The affected workers in the port of Suape should receive compensation for the involuntary unemployment imposed upon them by the use of new technology in the handling of cargo. The Committee notes that the Government has not provided its observations regarding the issues raised by the dockworkers’ unions of the port of Suape. The Committee refers back to its 2004 observation, which also reflected the concern of a dockworkers’ union of the Vila Velha port terminal in the State of Espíritu Santo. The Committee asks the Government to provide information, in its report due in 2007, on the manner in which the Convention is applied in all ports in the States of Espíritu Santo and Pernambuco and on the steps taken to overcome the difficulties referred to by the unions. The Committee hopes that the Government will be able to provide detailed information on the results achieved at the tripartite level to give effect to the provisions of Articles 2 and 5 of Convention No. 137, including information on achievements under the Integrated Programme for the Modernization of National Ports (Part V of the report form).