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| Picture Credit score: Prashant Nakwe
Port and dock employees’ unions of main ports have deferred their indefinite strike proposed from Wednesday (August 28, 2024), official sources mentioned on Tuesday (August 27, 2024).
The choice got here after an settlement between representatives of employees’ unions and ports administration on employees’ calls for at a marathon assembly within the nationwide capital on Tuesday, they mentioned.
At a nationwide coordination committee assembly in Tuticorn (Tamil Nadu) on August 8, main port employees’ unions affiliated to 5 federations determined to go on an indefinite strike from August 28 to press for rapid wage revision and different advantages, pending for practically 32 months.
Subsequently, strike notices have been served by the unions to directors of the respective ports on August 12.
Following the strike name, the managing director of the Indian Ports’ Affiliation (IPA) invited the federations to attend a gathering of the Bipartite Wage Negotiations Committee (BWNC) on August 27 and 28.
“The Chairman BWNC and MD, IPA held discussions with the federation leaders [BWNC members also] and after having elaborate discussions a memorandum of understanding reached between the Chairman of BWNC and MD, IPA with six federations of port and dock employees of main ports. Contemplating the transfer… the six federations agreed to defer the proposed strike from August 28,” a supply mentioned.
The six federations are — All India Port and Dock Employees’ Federation, All India Port and Dock Employees Federation (employees), Water Transport Employees Federation of India, Indian Nationwide Port and Dock Employees Federation and Port, Dock and Waterfront Employees Federation of India.
The associates of six federations at main ports had been in extended discussions demanding settlement of revision of wage construction and different service circumstances, together with pensioner advantages with impact from January 1, 2022.
As a part of the MoU, the fitment good thing about 8.5% on the combination quantity of primary pay as on December 31, 2021, plus 30% cent VDA as on January 1, 2022, can be given.
Moreover, it was additionally agreed upon {that a} particular allowance of ₹500 per thirty days can be given for the working staff throughout the operative interval of settlement from January 1, 2022 as much as December 31, 2026 or as much as the date of superannuation of working staff whichever is earlier, as per the supply.
There are round 20,000 everlasting port and dock employees employed over 12 main ports.
Along with this, as per the supply, a drafting committee can be constituted by the BWNC, which can meet on Wednesday to arrange a settlement inside a interval of 10 days. The committee shall embody one consultant from every federation and administration representatives as determined by the IPA Chairman.
The administration additionally assured that the BWNC proceedings can be concluded by the settlement inside 15 days, in keeping with the supply.
Sources on the India Port and Dock Employees’ Federation (employees) had final week mentioned the foremost port operators and federations have been to signal a five-year wage revision settlement previous to the expiry of the sooner wage pact on December 31, 2021.
The Transport Ministry arrange a Bipartite Wage Negotiations Committee comprising representatives of port administration and federations in March 2021.
The committee is headed by Mumbai Port Authority Chairman Rajeev Jalota.
Although the Bipartite Wage Negotiations Committee met seven instances throughout the previous 32 months, it couldn’t attain an settlement with the federations.
