Workers of India's ports to participate in the nationwide strike slated for February
The workers of the Major Ports of the Country will participate in the Nationwide strike called by the Central Trade Unions on 20th and 21st February, 2013, Daily Shipping Times reported.
This was announced by Shri S.R. Kulkarni, President, All India Port & Dock Workers' Federation at Mumbai after having a joint meeting of the recognized Federations of the Workers of the Major Ports and Dock Labour Boards. In addition to the demands preferred by the Central Trade Unions as a cause for the two days' strike, the Port & Dock Workers shall also highlight the anti-labour and anti-port policies of the Government in particular, Shri Kulkarni stated.
The present policy of the Government enforced under the pretext of Port Reforms for providing additional infrastructure facilities in the Ports is nothing but intended to hand over the existing Port facilities into the hands of Multinational Companies. At present, 40% of the cargo handled by the Major Ports has been diverted to non-Major Ports and Minor Ports, which are managed by private entrepreneurs where no Labour Regulations and Tariff Regulations are followed. As on today, 88% of the Container Traffic of the country is managed by Multinational Companies, out of which 47% is monopolized by one Company .
In the above Terminals, the operators are flouting all Labour Laws, denying freedom of association, and not paying even the Minimum wages to the workers.
In the Major Ports, majority of the works including regular and perennial in nature have been either outsourced or contracted out. Several statutory settlements reached between the Federations and Port Managements at National level and with affiliates at local level are not honoured. Since last one decade, the manning strength in the Major Ports have declined by 40% and no recruitment is taking place to fill up even the essential operational posts.
As such, the present policy of the Government is not only detrimental to the interest of the Ports and its workers, but also against the security and sovereignty of the country, Shri Kulkarni mentioned.
The joint Meeting held on 17.12.2012 at Mumbai which was Chaired by Shri S.R. Kulkarni was attended by Leaders of the Federations viz. Dr. Shanti Patel, Shri G. Kalan, Shri Prabhath Samantray, Shri P.M. Mohammed Haneef, Shri D.K. Sarma, Shri S.K. Shetye, Shri A.J. Peters, Shri L. Rodrigues.
