Page 201 - Mellinato, Giulio, and Aleksander Panjek. Eds. 2022. Complex Gateways. Labour and Urban History of Maritime Port Cities: The Northern Adriaticin a Comparative Perspective. Koper: University of Primorska Press.
P. 201
The Labour Factor: The Docks of Trieste and Koper through the Global Crisis
have been identified. They were elaborated on the basis of the traditions
and specific operational needs of each: a reality articulated with differ-
ent internal mechanisms as to the functioning and organization of work,
that in a research carried out by Isfort with the trade unions had been
defined as being similar to the Far West (Appetecchia 2011). At this mo-
ment, however, the port of Trieste is a port where, after a long process of
change, Law 84/94, with subsequent amendments, is applied.
In Slovenia, a new law regulating the functioning of ports dates back
to 2001 (Jermann 2007). Like the previous regulations, it allows only
one person to exercise the management of the port, as well as the exe-
cution of commercial port services. This system has brought about con-
siderable development in the port industry in Slovenia and also in the
former Yugoslav Federation. Port managers, who also provide port ser-
vices, are companies operating directly, and which can therefore make
the necessary investments faster (Jakomin and Beškovnik 2005). Since
the independence of Slovenia in 1991, Luka Koper d.d. (Port of Koper plc)
has become a public limited company, with 51% of the shares owned by
the State. It deals with cargo handling and warehousing for all types of
goods, complemented by a range of additional services for cargo with the
aim of providing comprehensive logistics support for its customers. The
company manages the commercial zone and provides for the develop-
ment and maintenance of port infrastructure. Indeed, the Port of Koper
differs from other European ports precisely because it manages all port
activities directly, or through its own subsidiaries and affiliates (Luka
Koper 2020, 19).
While in Italy specific legislation has been developed regarding the
organization of port work, although not always equally applied in each
port, in Slovenia the workers of Luka Koper d.d. are subject to nation-
al labour legislation and rules governing contracts and administration.
The public majority company, Luka Koper d.d., manages the free zone,
the port area, and carries out the role of terminal operator. Until January
2020, direct company employees and indirect workers worked in the port
and associated companies. The latter were called ‘external workers’ or
third-party IPS workers. IPS stands for Izvajalci Pristaniških Storitev,
that is, Port Service Providers. In 2016, for example, 36 companies had
IPS status. Many of them, however, were denounced by trade unions and
workers for infringement against workplace regulations, such as irregu-
lar payments, ‘slave’ working conditions, non-compliance with employ-
201
have been identified. They were elaborated on the basis of the traditions
and specific operational needs of each: a reality articulated with differ-
ent internal mechanisms as to the functioning and organization of work,
that in a research carried out by Isfort with the trade unions had been
defined as being similar to the Far West (Appetecchia 2011). At this mo-
ment, however, the port of Trieste is a port where, after a long process of
change, Law 84/94, with subsequent amendments, is applied.
In Slovenia, a new law regulating the functioning of ports dates back
to 2001 (Jermann 2007). Like the previous regulations, it allows only
one person to exercise the management of the port, as well as the exe-
cution of commercial port services. This system has brought about con-
siderable development in the port industry in Slovenia and also in the
former Yugoslav Federation. Port managers, who also provide port ser-
vices, are companies operating directly, and which can therefore make
the necessary investments faster (Jakomin and Beškovnik 2005). Since
the independence of Slovenia in 1991, Luka Koper d.d. (Port of Koper plc)
has become a public limited company, with 51% of the shares owned by
the State. It deals with cargo handling and warehousing for all types of
goods, complemented by a range of additional services for cargo with the
aim of providing comprehensive logistics support for its customers. The
company manages the commercial zone and provides for the develop-
ment and maintenance of port infrastructure. Indeed, the Port of Koper
differs from other European ports precisely because it manages all port
activities directly, or through its own subsidiaries and affiliates (Luka
Koper 2020, 19).
While in Italy specific legislation has been developed regarding the
organization of port work, although not always equally applied in each
port, in Slovenia the workers of Luka Koper d.d. are subject to nation-
al labour legislation and rules governing contracts and administration.
The public majority company, Luka Koper d.d., manages the free zone,
the port area, and carries out the role of terminal operator. Until January
2020, direct company employees and indirect workers worked in the port
and associated companies. The latter were called ‘external workers’ or
third-party IPS workers. IPS stands for Izvajalci Pristaniških Storitev,
that is, Port Service Providers. In 2016, for example, 36 companies had
IPS status. Many of them, however, were denounced by trade unions and
workers for infringement against workplace regulations, such as irregu-
lar payments, ‘slave’ working conditions, non-compliance with employ-
201
