ANGRY workers marched through the streets of Grimsby, protesting at proposed changes to working conditions at Associated British Ports.
More than 100 employees took to the streets frustrated about possible redundancies and changes to workers' terms and conditions.
They claim that bosses are proposing 18 redundancies, as well as changes to shift patterns, holidays and lieu day entitlements.
Setting off from Orwell Street, the workers marched along Freeman Street and into the town centre, before holding a rally in the former MFI car park.
Austin Mitchell, MP for Grimsby, had been due to speak at the rally but pulled out because he was unwell.
More than 100 employees took to the streets frustrated about possible redundancies and changes to workers' terms and conditions.
They claim that bosses are proposing 18 redundancies, as well as changes to shift patterns, holidays and lieu day entitlements.
Setting off from Orwell Street, the workers marched along Freeman Street and into the town centre, before holding a rally in the former MFI car park.
Austin Mitchell, MP for Grimsby, had been due to speak at the rally but pulled out because he was unwell.
However, workers were pleased with how the day went.
Gary Griffin, 55, of Cleethorpes, said: "The turnout has been brilliant. It is really good to see fellow employees standing together.
"I think what ABP are trying to do is disgusting.
"We made this company a first-rate company and they are treating us like second-rate citizens.
"We should share in success."
Kevin Benson, 35, of Cleethorpes, claimed: "They want us to work 2,000 extra hours each year for the same wage – that would be worth another £3,000 to me.
"The mood when we are at work is horrible.
"It is horrendous going in. Everybody is down."
Dave Monaghan, regional officer for the Unite union, said: "We think the proposed changes would have a huge impact on members and have an adverse affect on their family life."
An ABP spokesperson said: "Associated British Ports remains engaged in collective consultations with employee representatives on proposed redundancies and changes to working patterns necessitated by the significant downturn in trade through its ports.
"Although the company cannot comment on any specific details, the ongoing discussions have already resulted in substantially reducing the number of potential redundancies being considered
Gary Griffin, 55, of Cleethorpes, said: "The turnout has been brilliant. It is really good to see fellow employees standing together.
"I think what ABP are trying to do is disgusting.
"We made this company a first-rate company and they are treating us like second-rate citizens.
"We should share in success."
Kevin Benson, 35, of Cleethorpes, claimed: "They want us to work 2,000 extra hours each year for the same wage – that would be worth another £3,000 to me.
"The mood when we are at work is horrible.
"It is horrendous going in. Everybody is down."
Dave Monaghan, regional officer for the Unite union, said: "We think the proposed changes would have a huge impact on members and have an adverse affect on their family life."
An ABP spokesperson said: "Associated British Ports remains engaged in collective consultations with employee representatives on proposed redundancies and changes to working patterns necessitated by the significant downturn in trade through its ports.
"Although the company cannot comment on any specific details, the ongoing discussions have already resulted in substantially reducing the number of potential redundancies being considered
Comments (21)
abp has a employer has been going down hill for a few years now the problem to many mangers who are just out of unni who havnt got a clue and the rest are stuck in there ivory towers good look to the real workers.
clee man, cleethorpes
Chris, lincolnshire...are you on ABP's management team? O.K., there was obviously a misquote/ misprint, it doesn't take a genius to work that one out! But I get the feeling you want the days back where groups of able bodied men gathered on street corners waiting in hope for a 'gaffers' man to bestow work for that day upon them (very poorly paid work, I might add!), 'cos if you do, then you may as well go the whole hog, and get all of your children/ grandchildren who are old enough to walk, and give them a brush and force them to clean chimneys!! And as for a stranglehold, it's the port workers who are being slowly and deliberately choked hence the demo. almost everyone wants the company they work for to be successful and profitable, but to do this at the expense of their workforce (or should I say the manual grades) is wrong which ever way you wrap it! And I know that there are a lot of people unemployed at the moment, and I can sympathise with their plight, and I might well be joining them very soon, but to want to go back to the dark days because of that is to seal the working mans fate (and that of his kids) for a very long time to come!! BEWARE.
downtrodden, grimsby
downtrodden, grimsby
abp want 192 unpaid hours from each man of 20 engineers that is what kevin meant that comes to 2800 hours we are not voluntary workers
john, grimsby
john, grimsby
Working christmas and new year, checkworking bank holidays, checkworking 50% night shifts (premium time), checkworking 12hr shifts, checkhaving most weekends messed up (premium time), checkcrap pension (non final salary), checkimpossible to hit bonus targets, checkNo more share scheme, checkPay freeze, checkbeing forced to work extra 192hrs for no extra pay?? no way.
Rupert, Costa del Cleethorpes
Rupert, Costa del Cleethorpes
The 'opt out' is on the basis of a written and signed agreement by the employee!However, this is thrusted on you and really you do not have a choice but to agree to it and in salaried positons for no extra pay.Company's are using the turndown as an excuse to illegally put pressure on staff to take a % pay cut and work longer hours unpaid. In addition to this other perks and benefits have been withdrawn resulting in a much bigger % reduction.Give an employer an inch and they will take a mile....
CHRIS, Campo Grande
CHRIS, Campo Grande
Chris, Lincolnshire yes you are correct, as I said previously the 48hr is an average taken over a reference period. This average is calculated including holidays, legal rest days, etc.Employees are already hitting well over 40hrs average including holidays etc, the managers are trying to bring the workers in 16 extra days to bring them closer to the 48 hr LIMIT.This is an inclusive salary with no overtime, and no 48hr opt out.We are talking skilled time-served tradesmen here.Re: the 2000 hours in the report; 16days extra x12hour shift = 192 hrs per employee.Obviously that higher number was referring to a group.Frank Vorskinz, Grimsby has hit the nail on the head..The people doing these changes are middle managers walking round the port office unaffected with the rest of the ¿¿assistant to deputy manager¿¿ people. They are the people who have every weekend off to spend with their kids. Something the shift workers lower down the food chain look forward to every couple of months.The people being forced into accepting these changes are the people that do the work, the operators discharging ships, the engineers that work round the clock to keep machinery working. Take these away and the job stops. Take a middle manager away and it doesn¿t.Everyone at the company is depressed. I predict a high turn around of staff if these extra days are forced.
Anon, Immingham Report abuse
commented on 08-Jun-2009 14:08
Anon, Immingham Report abuse
commented on 08-Jun-2009 14:08
The 'opt out' of the 48 hour week is something that each individual worker agrees to - not the company or the country. Most companies will make you sign something to say you agree to opt out.As for the economic down turn, it looks like the worst was actually late last year and things have been picking up ever since. Much of the gloom and doom was generated by the media, and only companies relying heavily on financing from banks will be affected long term. Companies are either preparing for the worst case scenario, or a using the downturn as a chance to 'streamline' operations. Personally I think many companies are being very short sighted by hitting the real workers whilst management are left sitting pretty. Office workers and management types are ten a penny, but skilled experienced workers are hard to come by - and as soon as things start picking up will be in high demand. ABP are a ruthless company, severely lacking in class, and I think this may return to bite them on their bottoms.
Frank Vorskinz, Grimsby Report abuse
commented on 08-Jun-2009 12:46
Anon, Immingham. I read your comments with interest but have to make a couple of comments of my own, perhaps just correcting you a little. You mention the working time directive; it is not a directive, they are Regulations. Secondly, you mention a 48 hour maximum working week; this is not altogether true. The regulations stipulate that you can work more than 48 hours in a week but your working hours MUST NOT exceed an average of 48 hours per week, calculated over a 17 week period. On the subject of these regulations, we currently have an ¿opt out¿ in this country and I¿ll stand corrected if I am wrong, but I think Britain is the only country in the EU that has such an opt out! It would be interesting to see how many of ABP¿s staff would willingly work overtime which makes them exceed their 48 hour average. I have to say on this story; just take a look at today¿s economic climate; we can¿t be bleating about too much considering the amount of unemployment we have, which as we all can see is rising rapidly. I also looked at Kevin Benson¿s comments in the report; basic mathematics demonstrate that his claims that, ¿They want us to work 2000 extra hours each year for the same wage,¿ equate to 38 extra hours per week! This can not be right! Kevin¿s comments also suggest that those 2000 hours would be worth £3000 to him; how? That works out at JUST £1.50 per hour! All very confusing to me but this just smacks a little of Dockers not having the stranglehold like they used to do years ago and the stranglehold is slipping badly. Ask Grimsby¿s unemployed if they would take the jobs on the proposed new terms and conditions and I bet the answer would be yes!
Chris, Lincolnshire Report abuse
commented on 08-Jun-2009 12:10
Chris, Lincolnshire Report abuse
commented on 08-Jun-2009 12:10
This is all purely to save managers jobs and earn brownie points and medals for middle managers who will step on anyone to achieve their goals. I'm sure that there is a concerted effort around the ports industry to bring in non permanent staff and reduce terms and conditions to those levels we haven't seen for decades. Come on MP's, come on MEP's, get off your backsides and do something!!!
downtrodden, grimsby Report abuse
commented on 08-Jun-2009 12:06
downtrodden, grimsby Report abuse
commented on 08-Jun-2009 12:06
What we must remember is that this is a nationwide struggle.There was a national port conference held in London last Thursday. There where 54 delegates present from ports and firms all over the country. The message was the same from all.Redundancies are being made and the same people are returning to their own redundant jobs as agency labour. Our terms and conditions are being attacked and eroded.
Chris, depressed, dockworker. Report abuse
commented on 08-Jun-2009 11:38
I predict there will be a full page spread in the telegraph in a few weeks of ABP donating to a local charity to try and make it look like they care about the community.They are using the current climate purely as an excuse to alter peoples working hours.IF this was all about the companies financial situation, then why arent these hits across the board?? this is the work of the local managers trying to protect their own jobs by screwing over the lower grades of staff. Hopefully when this ''downturn'' is over and things go back to normal people will leave, then they will be left having to employ inexperienced, untrained staff leading to ships discharging slowly leading to huge loss of profit.The working time directive has a limit of 48hrs average working time a week, this is a LEGAL maximum to protect employees. ABPs management are using this as a TARGET to hit. Dont forget the people they are making work long hours are in control of heavy, moving and rotating machinery.. the kind that doesn't stop when a person makes a mistake due to not getting enough rest from work.
Anon, Immingham Report abuse
commented on 08-Jun-2009 11:01
Chris, depressed, dockworker. Report abuse
commented on 08-Jun-2009 11:38
I predict there will be a full page spread in the telegraph in a few weeks of ABP donating to a local charity to try and make it look like they care about the community.They are using the current climate purely as an excuse to alter peoples working hours.IF this was all about the companies financial situation, then why arent these hits across the board?? this is the work of the local managers trying to protect their own jobs by screwing over the lower grades of staff. Hopefully when this ''downturn'' is over and things go back to normal people will leave, then they will be left having to employ inexperienced, untrained staff leading to ships discharging slowly leading to huge loss of profit.The working time directive has a limit of 48hrs average working time a week, this is a LEGAL maximum to protect employees. ABPs management are using this as a TARGET to hit. Dont forget the people they are making work long hours are in control of heavy, moving and rotating machinery.. the kind that doesn't stop when a person makes a mistake due to not getting enough rest from work.
Anon, Immingham Report abuse
commented on 08-Jun-2009 11:01
The union is only as strong as its members, stick together a lot of companies are hidong behind the credit crunch banner but as you say they still get their bonuses and gold plated pensions while the rest of will be lucky to be able to eat whne we retire.We need a national strike
webbit, Grimsby Report abuse
commented on 08-Jun-2009 10:55
ABP claim this is all down to a lack of trade through the economic downturn.. so why do they need their workers in MORE HOURS for the same pay??surely they should be requiring LESS LABOUR as there is supposedly less work? the reason is the ports are still very busy, they are still making huge profits.The employees have already given enough, they relctantly agreed to a pay freeze early this year to protect jobs, now the goal posts have changed and jobs are being affected. lives are being affected.
Anon, Immingham Report abuse
commented on 08-Jun-2009 10:54
Its about time ABP,s owners and customers demanded that their middle management are put back on their leashes.Perhaps its time for them to lead by example and change their expensive company cars and bonus schemes instead of stealing from our local communities and workers and hiding behind the current economic climate.Its time for all the hard working, highly skilled workers in our communities to unite under one banner and say enough is enough.Anyone who questions "what has the union done for us" must realise that each individual is the union.
Shipmate, Depressed isolated dockworker. Report abuse
commented on 08-Jun-2009 10:14
With all the talk about EU memebership and so called laws in particular on employment, why are we being told to take a pay cut and work more hours? I thought the EU was to help us and improve our rights within the work place.Its seems that we have no real rights and anyone who does not go along with management decisions are not in their job for long!Keep your heads up high!
CHRIS, Campo Grande Report abuse
commented on 08-Jun-2009 09:52
abp has a employer has been going down hill for a few years now the problem to many mangers who are just out of unni who havnt got a clue and the rest are stuck in there ivory towers good look to the real workers.
clee man, cleethorpes Report abuse
commented on 09-Jun-2009 11:31
Chris, lincolnshire...are you on ABP's management team? O.K., there was obviously a misquote/ misprint, it doesn't take a genius to work that one out! But I get the feeling you want the days back where groups of able bodied men gathered on street corners waiting in hope for a 'gaffers' man to bestow work for that day upon them (very poorly paid work, I might add!), 'cos if you do, then you may as well go the whole hog, and get all of your children/ grandchildren who are old enough to walk, and give them a brush and force them to clean chimneys!! And as for a stranglehold, it's the port workers who are being slowly and deliberately choked hence the demo. almost everyone wants the company they work for to be successful and profitable, but to do this at the expense of their workforce (or should I say the manual grades) is wrong which ever way you wrap it! And I know that there are a lot of people unemployed at the moment, and I can sympathise with their plight, and I might well be joining them very soon, but to want to go back to the dark days because of that is to seal the working mans fate (and that of his kids) for a very long time to come!! BEWARE.
downtrodden, grimsby Report abuse
commented on 08-Jun-2009 21:08
abp want 192 unpaid hours from each man of 20 engineers that is what kevin meant that comes to 2800 hours we are not voluntary workers
john, grimsby Report abuse
commented on 08-Jun-2009 17:26
kevin quoted 3000 extra unpaid hours, it is actually 3800 unpaid hours 20 engineers each would be working 192 extra hours if abp have there way .
john lewsam, grimsby Report abuse
commented on 08-Jun-2009 17:20
How many of the countries 8 to 4 or 9 to 5 workers would work 8 full weekends for no extra pay???Not many i imagine?/Oh and make that 12hr days as well!!! No chance i hear you say!! Well thats basically what the lads at the HIT terminal are being asked to do!! They work a 24hr shift rota! There days off being the equivelant of your weekends!! They do an average of 41 hours a week calculated over the whole year. Now somebody decides at a time when supposedly there is less work!!We'll ask these skilled workers to work 184hrs more extra work for no extra cash!!! Oh and to top it off they'll accept no pay rise this year and not reach their bonus targets either!! What do you reckon?? You wanna work there?? Oh and by the way! You have to wash your own overalls!!
george, imm Report abuse
commented on 08-Jun-2009 15:11
george, imm Report abuse
commented on 08-Jun-2009 15:11
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