The on-going strike of the dock workers in Lisbon´s habour,
has brought enormous losses to the Portuguese companies.
Besides inhibiting trade between Portugal and the outside world,
during the strike period,
has decisively contributed to the decline in exports,
which could threaten the competitiveness of Portuguese companies.
How many companies do no longer sell to certain customers in the future
because those customers found another suppliers elsewhere and were satisfied?
The reason for this strike: overtime.
Contrary to what the trade unions often claim,
this time they are encouraging and supporting more overtime for the dock workers.
According to the article, some dock workers
do more than 2000 hours of overtime per year.
The government has decided to impose an overtime limit of 200 hours per year,
and the dock workers do not agree.
So they paralyse the Portuguese economy
and decide to strike to put pressure on the government
not to take any measures against the current situation.
Nobody now talks about what the constitution estipulates
nor about the labour laws.
In 2011, the Lisbon dock workers received, on average, €3,500 per month.
The president of the dock workers trade union of the South and the Centre,
advocates that the net salary varies between € 1,443.21 and € 2,326.06.
Yes, you read well, the base salary, without overtime payments.
No one doubts that, on average,
dockers earn far more than the average Portuguese.
Ana Paula Vitorino, the Minister of the Sea:
says strike of dockers strike,
costs Portugal at least €100,000 per day!
The dockers have been on strike, on and off for the last FOUR YEARS,
with months-long continued strikes.
Most international marinetime operators have abandoned Lisbon port,
because of the labour instability and the high costs of handling!
How can the country survive, with these communist trade unions,
paralyzing the country´s economy?
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