People's Democracy

PORT & DOCK WORKERS TO GO FOR

ACTION IF SETTLEMENT DELAYED

ALL the major five workers� federations affiliated to HMS, CITU, AITUC and INTUC, representing overwhelming majority of the Port and Dock workers all over the country expressed anguish over the extreme delay and non settlement of wage-revision of the workers owing to negative attitude of the Port & Dock management. In a joint letter issued to G K Vasan, minister of Shipping, government of India on August 12, 2009 the federations urged upon urgent intervention to ensure a favourable settlement within two weeks time, failing which the federations  would be compelled to resort to direct action including indefinite strike in all the ports and docks of the country. The letter to minister was jointly signed by M K Pandhe (CITU), S R Kulkarni, S K Shetye (HMS), VKB (AITUC) and C Kalan (INTUC).

The letter said that despite more than 2.5 years after the expiry of the agreement and 19 meetings of the BWNC, the wage negotiations in ports and docks for wage settlement could not be arrived at. This is causing strong resentment amongst the workers. The bi-partite wage negotiation committee meeting held on August 12, 2009 also failed to resolve the crisis. The government should intervene, into the matter for a favourable settlement within two weeks, failing which the trade unions will be left with no other option but to resort to direct action including indefinite strike in all the ports. The unions hoped the government will appreciate the gravity of the situation and ensure that long pending settlement is arrived at without any further delay.