Port, dock workers’ appeal, threat on wage settlement

Mr. S.R. Kulkarni, President of All India Port and Dock Workers’ Federation, has appealed to the Indian Ports Association (IPA) to either reach a settlement with the recognized Federations of Port & Dock Workers at the meeting called by them at Vishakhapatnam on Dec. 3 and 4 or face nationwide stoppage of work at all the major ports of the country as the period of wage settlement had already expired on Dec. 31, 2011.

He claimed that though the port and dock workers of the major ports have repeatedly rolled out excellent performance by continuous increase in cargo throughput they are totally neglected by the Ministry of Shipping. The Major Port Authorities are on fast track to outsource perennial nature of jobs by contracting out regular jobs. The manpower has declined by 60% based on the manpower strength in 1993.

Under the pretext of increasing cargo handling capacity and developing minor ports, the Government is adding new ports only through private entrepreneurs.

The handling charges are regulated by Tariff Authority of Major Ports as per the provision of MPT Act; whereas the minor ports go scot-free. Due to this, the handling cost, labour charges and service conditions of the workers of minor ports have remained abysmal on dictates of private owners of the minor ports. He charged that exploitation of labour and unfair labour practices are ever increasing in such ports.

Mr. Kulkarni wanted the Government to bring all the ports including minor ports under the purview of TAMP, if not the major ports should be permitted to work independently by scrapping / deregulation of TAMP to entrench a level playing field between the ports.

The Government has extended several concessions to the private entrepreneurs which ultimately have reduced the revenue income of the major ports and have arbitrarily denied several benefits to the workers by not implementing the statutory settlements.

Mr. Kulkarni, who called on Mr. Milind Deora, Minister of State for Shipping, appealed to him to use his good offices to secure a fair and equitable settlement of the charter of demands of the port and dock workers.

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