Cotonou, May 10, 2017. The International Dockworkers Council (IDC) is seriously concerned about events taking place at the Port of Cotonou (PAC) and calls on the Beninese authorities to pay particular attention to the conflict between dockworkers and their employer, the Beninese Port Handling Corporation (SOBEMAP).
According to information received from our affiliates, SYNFOMAP-BENIN, a movement of dissatisfaction paralyzed all activities at the Autonomous Port of Cotonou on Friday 05 May 2017 from 3 pm to midnight.
The conflict resulted from the observations alluding to the workers´ refusal to comply with the recommendations put forth by SOBEMAP to improve the living and working conditions of dockworkers, and in the Synthesis Report of the Working Committee (SOBEMAP-UNIONS Dockers), decided by the Minister who had visited Ports in Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal in December 2016 to draw inspiration from the working conditions and management of the Dockers of these countries.
In sum, the port workers in Benin are faced with the lack of regulation of their trade, precarious jobs with a derisory income level of Euro 3.50 per work week, and a high mortality rate : 70 fatalities were reported in the first quarter of 2017.
Requests for conciliation to resolve the dispute, submitted to the port authorities by an IDC delegation on mission to the country (May 10 to 12), were not facilitated by the Director-General's refusal to SOBEMAP, the dismissal of 20 dockworkers on 09 May and the arrest on 10 May 2017 at 8:00a of a unionized member of SYNFOMAP / BENIN.
The International Dockworkers Council declares the workers' demands legitimate, gives them unwavering support, and asks the Beninese authorities to take appropriate measures so that:
- Imprisoned workers are released unconditionally
- SOBEMAP reinstates dockers licensed in their rights
We call for the opening of a constructive dialogue between the port authorities, the employer SOBEMAP and SYNFOMAP.
At the international level, IDC remains attentive to the developments of this case. The solution to the conflict necessarily involves social dialogue.