Sep 19, 2023

Hundreds demonstrate against MSC Group's entry into HHLA September 19, 2023 at 01:32 pm EDT Share HAMBURG (dpa-AFX) - Hundreds of people took to the streets in Hamburg on Tuesday in protest against the planned entry of the world's largest container shipping company MSC into the Hamburg port logistics company HHLA. The participants, mainly employees of HHLA with its more than 6500 employees, gathered in the late afternoon on St. Annenplatz not far from HHLA headquarters. The trade union Verdi spoke of about 2500 participants. Verdi had called for the demonstration. They and the demonstrators consider the planned entry of MSC into HHLA to be wrong. As part of the critical infrastructure, HHLA belongs in public hands. Ports are the gateway of the German economy to the world, said Hamburg's Verdi leader Sandra Goldschmidt. "They are central to supply." Geneva-based shipping company MSC and the city of Hamburg's red-green Senate had signed a binding preliminary agreement Wednesday to establish a strategic partnership on the future of the city's largest container terminal operator. Currently, the city holds around 69 percent of the listed company. In the future, it would be run as a joint venture, with the city owning 50.1 percent and MSC 49.9 percent. The demonstrators marched on to MSC's branch in Hafencity and, chanting choruses such as "We are the port", made it clear from their point of view who calls the shots in the third-largest port in the North Range. In addition, they carried signs with the inscription "MSC - mafia shipping company" and ignited sporadic red or green smoke pots. The demonstration then moved to the Rathausmarkt, which, however, was cordoned off. Emporte dockworkers then cleared the barriers, streamed with drums, whistles and drums on the square and ignited some boller. In addition, they chanted with a view to the deal with MSC brokered by SPD mayor Peter Tschentscher, among other things, "Who betrayed us, the Social Democrats." Posters read: "No sale of city property! Our port - not your casino" or "No one in the port votes SPD". In addition to HHLA employees, mooring workers and employees of the handling company Eurogate, Hochbahn and Bäderland took part. Employees of the Hagenbeck Zoo, who have been fighting for a collective wage agreement for months, including through strikes, also showed solidarity with the HHLA employees./klm/DP/stw Share