Unions discuss cargo handling by ships' crews

The GWU said today that a meeting of the European Transport Workers' Federation in Brussels had, on its initiative, discussed the issue of loading and unloading of ships' cargo by crews, rather than port workers.

The union said proposals for ships' crews to be employed in the loading and unloading of ships had been rejected twice by the European Parliament but the practice had been adopted in some cases in Malta and elsewhere in Europe. The union said it had received reports of self-handling of cargo on vessels plying the Malta-Sicily court.

The discussion focused on the consequences on port workers if such practices gather ground. The discussion will continue at the next meeting.