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Swedish blockade on Israeli cargo |
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Press release from THE SWEDISH DOCKWORKERS UNION
Stockholm 2010-06-11
Change of dates for the blockade on Israeli ships and cargo to and from Israel
The Swedish Dockworkers Union gave notice on June 3, 2010 that their blockade of Israeli ships and cargo to and from Israel will take place from 15th-24th June. The measure was based on the Israeli attack on the Freedom Flotilla (of which the Swedish Ship to Gaza was a member), an action that was contrary to public international law.
The blockade will now take effect at midnight on
Tuesday 22nd June and last until midnight on Tuesday, June 29, 2010. It
will therefore coincide with the second week of the Norwegian port
workers’ blockade of Israeli ships and cargo that comes into effect on
June 15th and lasts for two weeks.
The Swedish Dockworkers Union had previously decided to voice their
support for the humanitarian project Ship to Gaza. An additional
component of the blockade was a demand that the state of Israel lifts
its illegal blockade of Gaza. The employers association Ports of Sweden
responded to this notice by threatening to take action against union
members taking part in the blockade without stating any objections to
the notice itself or the action as such.
According to Ports of Sweden, participation in the blockade would
violate the rules of obligation in individual employees’ contracts and
financial compensation would be sought for any damage caused. The
Swedish Dockworkers Union believes that a union notice protects
individual members from such retaliation and that such action by the
employer instead constitutes a violation of freedom of association.
Furthermore, the approach of Ports of Sweden, contrary to their claim
to be making an assessment purely based on labour laws and free of
political values, constitutes in our opinion an extended statement of
political position, at least in its consequences.
After evaluating the situation, the Swedish Dockworkers Union have
decided to withdraw its original notice in order to put forward a
reformulated notice, with a somewhat limited time frame. United
Palestinian trade unions have directed a request for sympathy blockades
against Israel to every port workers’ union in the world.
The Swedish Dockworkers Union’s action has, therefore, in addition to
the reasons mentioned above, an underlying union purpose as the Israeli
blockade of Gaza has led to unparalleled unemployment levels for the
people of Gaza. The blockade will now take effect at midnight on
Tuesday 22nd June and last until midnight on Tuesday, June 29, 2010. It
will therefore coincide with the second week of the Norwegian port
workers’ blockade of Israeli ships and cargo that comes into effect on
June 15th and lasts for two weeks.
Additional information is available from:
Björn A.Borg, chairman of the Swedish Dockworkers Union +46 (0)70-680 95 48
Peter Annerback, member of the executive committee +46 (0)73-546 38 02
Rolf Axelsson, member of the executive committee +46 (0)70-950 89 09
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