The All India Port and Dock Workers’ Federation has criticised what it calls the government’s move to outsource cargo handling work to contract labourers.
SR Kulkarni, president of the Federation said in a statement that the government should end its policy of marginalizing the working class and their organizations. He said though workers at the major ports had put up great performance, the port authorities were outsourcing work to contract labourers.
Under the guise of increasing cargo handling capacity in the country, the government was developing minor ports with private party involvement.
As a result of the policy, consignments traditionally handled by the major ports were diverted to the minor ports run by private enterprises.
Besides, all the container handling terminals in the country, except Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), were operated by multi-national companies, which flouted the labour laws of the country, he alleged.
The Indian government was also encouraging monopoly by allowing major ports to execute license arrangements with operators like DP World, APMM and PSA, he said in the statement.
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