Indefinite Strike by NMPT Shipping Company Workers from 29 Jan regarding Wages
“We are only demanding implementation of labour laws, NMPT to act as a watchdog in implementation of labour laws, negotiated 3-years agreements which can regulate wages and service conditions for all shipping company and other workers who are involved in operations and activities connected with and related to Port.” – AIPWF
Mangaluru: Addressing the media persons during a press meet held at Mangalore Press Club, Shankar V- National Vice-president of All India port Workers Federation (AIPWF) said, ” All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) and All India Port Workers’ Federation (AIPWF) have jointly called for an indefinite Port Strike from 29 Jan. 2018 demanding streamlining of wages and service conditions and strict implementation of labour laws. It is unfortunate that a strike had to be called for implementation of labour laws because, on the one hand, employers are so cruel and on the other hand, the grievance redressal mechanisms related to Mangalore Port are completely ineffective and non-functional. One is to wonder whether there is any law prevails in this country. Semi-Slavery or semi-bondedness prevails right under our nose at NMPT and there is no mechanism to enforce laws.”
“Shipping Company managements are not willing to implement any labour laws. Nor are they willing to take care of the safety, security and well being of their own workers. No minimum wages as declare by the central government. All workers are left with no option but to work for 12 / 24 hours but are not paid overtime wages. No holidays. Wages are deducted from the meager salary even for a day’s leave in case of any exigencies or family emergencies. No Pay Slip. No Bank payments and only cash. Workers are thrown out on the whims and fancies of the proprietors, Managers and Supervisors. Only Jungle law prevails in the Port which can be very much called as semi-bonded conditions or modern-day slavery ” added Shankar.
He further said, “New Mangalore Port trust (NMPT) does not care for workers who enter the Port. They do not take responsibility for providing / implementing ESI, PF, gratuity, minimum wages, overtime wages and other welfare of shipping company workers. Containers, inside the Port premises, are falling on workers because of the greedy race for super profits by shipping companies and the workers are not even provided ESI cover. The worker is only admitted in hospital and left in the lurch. This is the case in all shipping companies.”
“Mangalore Port (NMPT) is one of the important pillars of growth and development of Mangaluru. Around 75 percent of export of Coffee, Timber and Cashew nuts are handled by Mangaluru Port. Cashew is brought via sea route, processed and sent back to their country of origin and thereby exploiting cheap labour available in Mangaluru and around. The NMPT proudly claims that Container traffic increased by 25 % last year. But, the same NMPT is shameless to say that they are not responsible for drivers, mechanics and operators who are spilling their sweat and blood to carry those containers. NMPT registered 11.72 percent growth in traffic handling in the first 6 months of 2017-18. But, did they care for those actual handlers, who are employed by shipping companies in occupations like driving, repairing and maintenance of those traffic vehicles and handling equipments? This is the irony of so-called growth and development.” added Shankar.
“It is a growth and development of NMPT, shipping companies and their C&F Agents but the workers who are instrumental in this growth are left in the lurch; thrown to the dustbins. In a democratic country like India, in a central government owned NMPT, it is shameful that industrial democracy is in peril and worst still, there is no proper mechanism for enforcement. With the central government proposed amendments to labour legislations, the situation can only worsen. Neither the BJP Prime Minister Modi nor the Congress Chief Minister Siddaramaiah are on the side of workers. The strike is not just about wages but questions the kind of industrial democracy, rather an industrial anarchy, that prevails in NMPT and the role of central and state governments in the welfare and implementation of labour laws.” said Shankar.
Shankar also said, “We are only demanding implementation of labour laws, NMPT to act as a watchdog in implementation of labour laws, negotiated 3-years agreements which can regulate wages and service conditions for all shipping company and other workers who are involved in operations and activities connected with and related to Port. Number of workers directly employed by Port Trusts across the country have drastically reduced because of the Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation (LPG) policies adopted by the central government. In the wake of liberalization, the operations and activities of the port which were hitherto carried out by employees directly employed by NMPT are replaced by and are now actually carried out by workers engaged in Ports but employed by the shipping and stevedoring companies and C&F Agents. “
“Reduction in the number of directly employed workforce do not abolish the employments which are incidental and necessary for the running of NMPT but for creating a new section of workforce whose wages and service conditions are not streamlined and are in pathetic conditions. Over a period of few decades, this section of workers, whose wages, service and working conditions are not streamlined, have become overwhelming in numbers. The disparity in wages and service conditions between the same workforce engaged in same and similar kind of work is very huge which is beyond any imagination. The wages and service conditions of workers directly employed by NMPT are governed by a plethora of legislations exclusively meant for them in addition to wage increases through periodic negotiations and tripartite agreements involving the government, Port Trusts and the workers unions.”
“But, unfortunately, workers carrying out the same and similar kind of work in NMPT and employed by Stevedores, C&F Agents and Shipping companies, etc., are given only peanuts. Only the jungle law prevails. Neither wages nor social security benefits including ESI, PF and gratuity nor working hours and holidays are streamlined. This section of workers who are not yet exposed to the dawn and languishing in utter darkness are in huge numbers in NMPT. Not only from the angle of human rights but also from the angle of principles of natural justice, it is totally unbecoming of a government to overlook such genuine facts. These workers neither have wage parity with employees directly employed by Ports nor do not even get mandatory central minimum wages and the half yearly VDA declared by the Government of India. They do not have any overtime wages nor have any yearly bonus. Workers operating Containers and other kind of vehicles are an integral component of Port operations as they are involved in transporting goods and cargo from ship to yard and to the end customers. But, they are not even protected for any accidents and are not even provided mandatory ESI.”
“Two years, we have run from pillar to post. When there was no remedy available anywhere we have no other option but to resort to direct action. We request the competent authorities to ensure – 1) Streamlining of wages and service conditions of shipping company workers in NMP 2) Negotiated 3 years agreements to regulate the same 3) NMPT to act as a watchdog for implementation of labour laws failing which the Chairman should cancel the license.” concluded Shankar.
On Monday 22 January 2018 at 10 am, the Port workers had taken a Bike rally all the way from NMPT until DC’s office nad had submitted a memorandum to the DC Sasikanth Senthil, about their grievances.
Diwakar, DK Dist Secretary, AICCTU, PP Appanna, Karnataka State Secretary, AICCTU; Satish Kumar, DK Dist President, AICCTU; Mohan KE, Joint Secretary DK AICCTU; Bharath Amin, Karnataka State Convenor, Revolutionary Youth Association (RYA), and Vidya Dinker, National Campaign Committee Member, All India People’s Forum (AIPF) were present during the press meet.
