Port workers to go on nation-wide strike from August 28 over pay revision

National coordination committee announces indefinite strike from August 28 demanding pay revision, pensionary benefits, and resolution of port issues.

The members of national coordination committee have announced an indefinite strike across the nation from August 28 demanding immediate settlement of pay revision and allowances. The demand includes pensionary benefits with effect from January 2022 as the last settlement had expired on December 2021.

A decision to this effect was taken at the end of the two-day meeting held at V.O.C. Port in Thoothukudi.

The All India Port and Dock Workers’ Federation president P.M. Mohammed Haneef, general secretary G.M. Krishnamoorthy said the Ministry of Shipping had constituted a bipartite wage negotiation committee (BWNC) to discuss the demands in March 2021.

Even after 31 months, the committee could not arrive at any conclusion despite meeting seven times. Blaming the Ministry for the roadblock, the members said the illogical and illegal guidelines imposed by the government were unprecedented in the history of previous settlements.

The issues to be discussed and settled include revision of pay scales, fitment benefits, protection of existing benefits, implementation of previous settlements, neutralisation of DA and payment of arrears.

Because of the lethargic attitude of the Ministry, labour unrest appeared to be mounting in the major ports with regard to the productivity linked reward (bonus), they claimed. The employees were due for bonus every year during festival seasons beginning September. As the previous settlement expired in 2020, they had signed a fresh MoU for a five year period from 2020-21.

As per the MoU, the federations and the management had to execute a statutory settlement in this regard and forward it to the Ministry for its approval. As there had been no approval from the Ministry, the settlement could not be signed yet. Therefore, the PLR was not given to the employees.