Over-licensing of stevedores and other ports labor supply companies has led them to scramble for same jobs, with those who cannot stand the competition downsizing and casualizing workers, the Maritime and Dockworkers Union (MDU), has said.
The union has therefore called on the government to place a moratorium on the granting of new licenses for stevedore, shore handling and labor supply operations in the ports to curb the disturbing trend.
The number of stevedores, shore handling and labor supply firms operating at the country’s ports increased from seven to 21 as at 2017, when cargo volumes had averaged 10percent growth that same year.
This means that stevedoring jobs, which includes the loading and unloading of berthed vessels and movement of cargo within the ports, that was previously handled by seven companies were attended to by 21 companies.
A resolution passed at the union’s 63rd National Executives Council and signed by its General Secretary of the union, Daniel Owusu-Koranteng,
“The policy of the government to increase the number of stevedore companies has worsened the operational and financial problems of the Stevedore companies resulting in massive redundancies of employees of Stevedore companies and casualization of permanent jobs.
The MDU is disappointed that the government has not taken any measures to address the problem which had led to the loss of jobs in the maritime industry.”
The union is, therefore, asking the government to set up a committee to investigate the current happenings in the stevedore, shore handling and labor supply operations in the ports and the effects of such liberal policies on the efficiencies of the ports as well as job losses.
“The committee should also determine the optimal number of shore handling, stevedore and labor supply companies required to operate at the ports giving the volumes of cargo and an appropriate rotational and shift systems to accommodate a further capacity of stevedore, shore handling and labor supply operations,” the resolution read.