Labor strike paralyzes Algeria’s largest seaport

By Hassan Jibril

ALGIERS (AA) - Workers at the Port of Algiers abruptly declared a strike on Wednesday, crippling operations at Algeria’s largest seaport.

Run by the Dubai Ports Group, the port only unloaded a single cargo ship Wednesday -- out of 14 -- as a result of the strike.

According to a trade union source, the strike comes as part of a larger protest that began Tuesday evening to demand higher wages.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity, the source said that a deal between port workers and management -- signed over a year ago -- had never been implemented.

According to the same source, port managers told workers earlier this week that implementation of the agreement had been postponed “indefinitely”.

Managers did not provide any reason for the decision, the source said.

Algeria’s largest container terminal, the Port of Algiers is capable of processing some 1.5 million cargo containers per year.

The Dubai Ports Group has operated the port since 2009 through a 30-year leasing agreement with the Algerian government.