Transport paralyzed! Strike breaks out in many countries! Supply chain collapses!

According to foreign media reports, container transport in and out of Chittagong and yards in Bangladesh has been suspended since the morning of October 21 due to a 48-hour strike by Prime Mover trailer workers.

Shippers and shipowners outside the terminal said that due to the strike, export containers could not be shipped to the port for shipment, and containers full of imported goods and empty containers could not be shipped from the country's main seaports.

It is understood that the actions of the Prime Move trailer union in the Chittagong port area will affect the port's daily throughput of 3,000 to 4,000 teu.

Ruhul Amin Sikder, secretary general of the Bangladesh Inland Container Depot Association (BICDA), said that if the strike continues, containers will not be shipped in time and many containers will miss the designated ships.

Union chairman Selim Khan directly pointed the finger at the two largest transport operators in the region, Mohammadia Enterprise and Asif International, claiming that they violated multiple aspects of the agreement signed in April.

Selim Khan said that not only have these operators not ensured the provision of appointment letters and ID cards, but they have also not met the minimum wage requirements set by the government.

“In April, the union and the company owners signed an agreement to implement these demands within 45 days, but the company owners have not implemented these demands, so we have implemented the strike and will not call off the strike until there is a productive discussion,” he explained.

Many owners of prime mover trailer companies have implemented these legal demands, but those who are members of the owners’ association are dilly-dallying on implementing them.”

Meanwhile, Chowdhury Zafar Ahmed, secretary general of the Bangladesh Van Truck Prime Mover Cargo Transport Owners Association, questioned the legality of the strike.

“There is no mention of appointment letters for cargo transport drivers in the Road Transport Act, 2018. The union members are illegally implementing the strike,” he claimed, adding that about 117 trailers have stopped operating since October 6.

Chittagong has already seen cargo transportation interrupted due to multiple reasons this year, and the strike of trailer workers is expected to cause delays in Chittagong as well.

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Strike crisis at Brazilian ports

Besides Chittagong, Brazilian ports are also facing a major strike crisis. Local media Reconecta News reported that about 60,000 port workers in Brazil will hold a 12-hour strike on October 22.

The strike will be from 07:00 to 19:00 local time and will affect loading and unloading and port labor in all Brazilian ports.

Reconecta said that about 20,000 professionals will participate in the strike at Santos Port, Brazil's largest port. Dockworkers affiliated with three national federations have confirmed their participation in the strike.

It is reported that the reason for the strike is a recent bill that abolishes the labor rights of temporary workers and dockworkers and closes the public docks in Santos. The proposal will be formally submitted to the House of Representatives on October 23.

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Spanish truck driver strike

It is reported that Spain's two largest unions, CCOO and UGT, announced on Monday that Spanish truck drivers plan to implement a series of strike actions from October 28, with the aim of demanding earlier retirement and improved retirement conditions.

According to representatives of the two unions, if their demands are not met, the drivers will strike on the following dates: October 28, November 11, November 28, November 29, December 5 and December 9.

And, from December 23, an indefinite strike is planned.

The demands put forward by the unions are aimed at improving the working conditions of drivers, with a particular focus on the retirement age (currently set at 67) and partial retirement rights, hoping that these conditions will be consistent with those of other high-risk jobs.

There are about 250,000 salaried truck drivers in Spain, but the union expects that self-employed drivers will also join the strike, and the number of strikers may increase to 500,000. Overall, 70% of employees in the industry are represented by UGT or CCOO.

It is understood that last year, a month-long truck driver strike almost brought Spain's supply chain to a standstill, leading to food shortages, rising inflation, and a shock to economic growth.

If the union launches a strike again, it is likely to have a serious impact on Spain's supply chain and economy again.

We would like to remind shippers and freight forwarders who have recently shipped to the above-mentioned areas to pay attention to local developments, understand cargo node information, and adjust subsequent transportation plans in a timely manner.