Port Sudan seaport workers call-out alternative trade union

The workers of Sudan’s Sea Ports Corporation have announced formation of an alternative trade union to resist government plans to privatise Port Sudan.

In an interview with Radio Dabanga, Osman Tahir, the executive chief of the alternative union, described the current union of being “pro-government and incapable of standing against the decision to privatise Port Sudan”.

He criticised the leadership pf the current Ports Corporation Union as having “retreated from the vigil announced last week against the privatisation decision in response to pressures by the government.”

He told Radio Dabanga that an extended meeting was convened on Monday by the seaport workers in Port Sudan, where they decided formed an alternative union “to claim their rights and against the decision of the Minister of Transport to form a committee to study the offer by Dubai Ports to manage Port Sudan”.

He pointed out that were the government's decision to privatise Port Sudan to go ahead, it would lead to the displacement of workers and undermine the country's sovereignty.

He has announced using sit- ins and strikes “in order to stop the unjust privatisation decision”.

He has explained that they have begun communicating with all employees in the Sea Ports Corporation and loading and unloading workers into and out of ships so as to unify their positions on the public issues.

Privatisation

Repots emerged in May of Sudanese government plans to privatise seaports. These were met by a chorus of condemnation in Sudan’s Red Sea state.

In an interview with Radio Dabanga at the time, economic expert Dr Sidgi Kaballo warned of “the disastrous impact of privatisation of the ports on, for example, the Beja tribe by sending tem below the poverty line”.

Dr Kaballo pointed out that most of the workers in the ports belong to the same tribe, and depend fully on the sea ports for their livelihood. “The government plans to privatise of the seaports as a big economic mistake, as the government is suffering from a permanent deficit in economic resources.