Workers’ strike at major ports on Feb 20, 21

To protest against the ‘anti-labour and anti-port policies’ of the government, workers of major ports in India will strike work on February 20 and 21. SR Kulkarni, president, All India Port & Dock WorkersÂ’ Federation said that the present policy of the government enforced under the pretext of port reforms is nothing but intended to handover the existing ports into the hands of multinational companies.

Kulkarni also alleged that ports managed by private entrepreneurs do not follow labour and tariff regulations.
He added that several statutory settlements reached between the federations and port managements at national level and with affiliates at local level are not honoured.

Major ports face a severe shortfall of workers with the gap in some major ports as high as 40 per cent. This was acknowledged even by a top official of the government recently. There are 13 major ports in the country.