Estonian Dockers to Picket Port of Muuga Management Offices

zoom Estonian dockers will be picketing the offices of Port of Muuga management in Tallinn after the ports management refused to legally recognise their union representative, the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) reports. Workers at Transiidikeskuse AS Muuga, Tallinn, elected a union steward from the Estonian Independent Seamens Union (EMSA) to represent their interests in negotiations with the management. But the relationship between the parties has deteriorated since management wrote to the EMSA refusing to recognise him, according to the ITF. 62% of dockers and tallymen in Tallinn are members of the union. They’ve taken steps to protect their legitimate right to representation but management just isn’t willing to accept that, Jyri Lember, Chairman of EMSA, said. This dispute hasn’t just come out of nowhere, there is a history of management in Transiidikeskuse employing anti-union tactics and threatening job security. The refusal to recognise the new steward is just the latest in a long line of actions.