Various port trade unions are likely to launch an indefinite strike from December 17 over the failure of the government to fulfill the promises it had made to the unions while averting an earlier strike call.
In a meeting of the National Coordination Committee of Six Federations of Port and Dock Workers—made up of All India Port and Dock Workers Federation, India National Port and Dock Workers Federation, the Water Transport Workers Federation of India among others—held on Saturday, members expressed displeasure over the government's inability to fulfill the promises it made.
The members are upset over the government's inability to get the state-owned ports to implement the provisions in the previously agreed-upon settlement while trying to avoid a strike call in August.
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Before the indefinite strike, another protest is planned for December 5, according to media reports.
According to a member of the All India Port and Dock Workers Federation, unions renegotiate the contracts of workers with ports every five years and then a settlement that is agreed upon is distributed to ports. However, the Indian Ports Association reportedly failed to act after the final settlement reached in September.
According to the member, despite many letters from various federations, the Indian Ports Association hasn't forwarded the settlement to ports, forcing the unions to call for a strike.
The port union members claim that although the Union cabinet approved a retroactive productivity-linked reward scheme, former employees of some of the ports are yet to receive this. Besides, there is also the issue of wage adjustments and pensionary promises.
During the meeting in Goa, it was decided that if the state-owned ports do not meet the demands regarding wage adjustment and the reward scheme by December 15, the indefinite strike will begin on December 17.
