Amazon staff in 20 countries set for 'Black Friday/Cyber Monday' strikes
Strikes at Amazon facilities across six continents are set to cause chaos over the Black ...
FDX: DOWNGRADEZIM: BEST PERFORMER WTC: INVESTOR DAY AAPL: LEGAL RISKTSLA: UPGRADEXOM: DIVESTMENT TALKAMZN: HOT PROPERTYGM: ASSET SALEHLAG: PROTECTING PROFITSVW: STRIKINGPLD: FAIR VALUE RISKSTLA: CEO OUTDHL: BOLT-ON DEALMAERSK: NEW ORDERGXO: POLISH DEAL EXTENSIONDSV: TRIMMING
FDX: DOWNGRADEZIM: BEST PERFORMER WTC: INVESTOR DAY AAPL: LEGAL RISKTSLA: UPGRADEXOM: DIVESTMENT TALKAMZN: HOT PROPERTYGM: ASSET SALEHLAG: PROTECTING PROFITSVW: STRIKINGPLD: FAIR VALUE RISKSTLA: CEO OUTDHL: BOLT-ON DEALMAERSK: NEW ORDERGXO: POLISH DEAL EXTENSIONDSV: TRIMMING
Congestion in Brazil’s ports is expected to worsen this week as Customs doubles its strike action to four days from two. All the main ports, airports and bonded warehouses are affected, but Santos, Brazil’s leading container port, is thought to be most impacted.
Although there are no signs as yet that cargo will be refused by the ports, only medicine, food and livestock will be cleared before Thursday. Otherwise there will be no import or export cargo clearance, no transit clearance, no habilitation clearance, no operations processes and very few staff on hand. On Friday Customs will resume normal working practices.
Observers at Santos say the action is now starting to affect the country’s economy, strengthening the ability of Customs to renegotiate wages with the government.
“This is affecting national commerce, because the processes are now more expensive, and cargo clearance is taking too much time,” said Francisco Villagrán, Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) general manager, Brazil. “Day to day, Customs is applying more pressure, such as this week when it has stopped cargo clearance for four days. Probably this will be the decisive week for the authorities to understand the complexity of the situation.”
The strike began in June following a letter sent from civil servants of the ‘auditor class’, of which Customs officers are a part, to president Dilma Rousseff, requesting a hearing, and calling strike action on two days each week. This week is the first time Customs has doubled that to four days, suggesting its frustration with the negotiating process.
There is no sign yet that the ports are nearing capacity or being forced to reject cargo. But, said Villagrán: “The cargo is cleared in a very slow chain, which is affecting import and export processes and delaying all operations. But the ports are able to handle the amount of extra cargo. We have had no information about whether any port will be forced to refuse cargo.”
Airports are becoming a challenge. Patricia Altmann, branch manager for Bellville Rodair in Brazil explained: “In our case, we are taking an extra two days to release our cargoes from Guarulhos airport to Porto Alegre airport due to the strike. Customs are taking this extra time to release bonded trucks to departure.”
Each port has been affected differently as the strikes have varied in strength. Inchcape reports that although ships are leaving and entering some ports without any problem, “there are ports where the congestion is impacting the anchorage areas, forcing some ships to deviate to other ports”.
Currently, several ships are waiting at anchorage outside the port of Santos, and according to Marine.com, even more are lying off Paranagua port, which houses the third largest container terminal in Brazil. According to live ship movement reports, several container ships appear to be delayed on route between Santos and Paranagua.
The negotiations with the government are continuing, but, said Inchcape, are taking more time than expected, which is affecting Brazil’s ability to trade internationally, as well as harming local business. Shippers are having to pay more in demurrage charges, a problem that is only expected to rise this week.
Comment on this article
aspen dos santos
July 20, 2012 at 3:10 amNow comes the question: Until when will government fold their hands and keep watching this acrimonious situation which keeps hindering the national economy? On the other hand, the custom officials are taking advantage of the slight inflation in the country to counter attack government for increase in wages, salary and working conditions.
If the custom officials who earn a lucrative salary of R$13,500, not considering the indirect bribes and corruption they practice to facilitate the clearance of cargo in the ports and airports, keep complaining about the impact the country’s inflation on their income then, what should those government workers who earn minimum salary should do, go sue the president in court?
I think it´s high time the government and the custom officials sit their A$$ down and work things out. Yes, strike is the power and force they can use to exercise and demonstrate their frustration to the government but they should also consider innocent shippers who pay all the necessary duties and charges to get their cargo to the final consumer.
Well, I will call this negligence on the government’s part, who turn deaf ears to the custom authority; and describe the custom officials as an egocentric and selfish public servants.
I suggest both parties should come to an agreement very soon. Otherwise this might give Brasil a negative image in the global economy.
Gavin van Marle
July 20, 2012 at 3:58 pmPoint well made Aspen, but how much chance of an deal agreeable to both sides being made? My reading of the situation is that in the interests of the country as a whole, the government will eventually have to cede its position – which of course will only demonstrate to customs that strikes work. Making future strikes more likely