Workers strike over fears port jobs will be lost

MORE than 1000 port workers from Port Moresby and Lae walked off their jobs yesterday morning following the Government’s failure to address their concerns over job security and the awarding of stevedoring contracts to a foreign company.
Philippines-based International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) was recently awarded contracted to provide port services at the country’s major ports.
PNG Transport and Maritime Workers Union general secretary Reg McAlister said the Government and PNG Ports Corporation Ltd have remained silent since 2015 on the future of the existing workforce’s continued employment if ICTSI started operations in both ports in January next year.
“Members of the union in Port Moresby and Lae have taken protest action against the Government’s continued failure to seriously address our members’ concerns of job security and maintenance of award employment conditions with the awarding of a 25-year stevedoring contract in both ports to the Filipino multi-national company ICTSI.
“The Government and PNG Ports Corporation have remained silent since 2015 on the future of the existing workforce’s continued employment when ICTSI starts operations in both ports in the first week of January 2018.
“It is confirmed that with the support of the Government, ICTSI have no intention of employing the existing workforce which will result in the sacking of more than 1000 maritime workers.”
McAlister said in the first three to four months ICTSI intended to employ 40 Filipino workers in Port Moresby and Lae ports and possibly Indonesian workers to replace sacked PNG maritime workers, which would be a national disgrace.
PNG Ports Corporation Ltd, however, said that an important aspect of the new terminal operator service arrangements was the transition of the local affected communities into equity owners in the terminal operating companies alongside ICTSI, and discussions with respect to this transition were currently in progress.
Similar discussions were underway with respect to employment opportunities for the local affected communities, the company said
PNGPCL expects the terminal operating arrangements with ICTSI to significantly improve berth and yard productivity at the two international ports involved, and within a tariff framework which will prove to be very competitive compared to current levels.