Govt patronizing private ports at the cost of major ports, claim Port Workers Federation

Chennai:

Indian National Port and Dock Workers Federation (INTUC) has expressed serious concern over the government policy on patronizing private operated ports, including minor ports of state government, at the copst of growth of major ports.

 

In a executive committee meeting, which also held to thank Union Shipping Minister G K Vasan for his intervention on concluding a wage revision agreement that raised the overall wages of port workers by 10.5 per cent, the federation said that major ports are prepared for any competition but the government is favouring private ports.

 

“The privately operated ports are left to exploit labour in the full knowledge of the government . While the privately operated ports are free to fix their tariff, the major ports are bound by tariff authority rates,” a resolution of the federation said.

 

The resolution states that even private port operators in the major ports are free to fix their handling and tariff while major ports are not allowed to do so.

 

It further adds that while a port facility security officer (PFSO) is introduced in major ports for safety of man and material so as to check criminal, enemy nation activity while private operated ports don’t have this facility which could become a security issue, the federation said.

The Federation also urged the Union Shipping Minister G K Vasan to focus on consolidation of pension which is affecting 1.25 lakh pensioners.

 

“These pensioners are at the fag end of their life after putting up 30-40 years of their prime time for the growth of major ports,” general secretary of the federation G Kalan and president of the federation P K Samantray said.

 

Vasan assured the workers that he would look into their concerns.

 

The federation also expressed its anger over Ministry of Shipping for not allowing major ports to fill up Class III and Class IV posts fallen vacant due to retirement and death and allowing engagement of low paid contract workers. The federation also expressed its concern over port management failure to implement different clauses of wage settlement which is beneficial to working class.