News
- Dock Workers in India Threaten Strike
- 8/31/2009
JOC Online
Indian port and dock workers called for an indefinite strike starting September 15 if the Shipping Ministry does not heed their demands for wage increases and other benefits. A formal resolution to strike was adopted at a joint meeting of the five major labour federations held at Cochin on Thursday, representing nearly 100,000 workers employed at the country’s 12 major gateway ports. Union leaders said workers were due to receive a wage increase in January 2007, but despite several rounds of talks with the Indian Ports Association, no agreement could be reached on basic issues. The unionized workers were demanding a 34% increase in pay, while the government offered a raise of 18%. Labour representatives had earlier asked Shipping Minister G.K. Vasan to intervene in a bid to find an amicable settlement but to no avail. The strike threat comes at a time when major hubs are struggling to reach annual targets set by the Shipping Ministry for fiscal 2009-10 ending March 31 amid the slowdown in trade.