The Hindu Business Line : Bonus: Port workers threaten stir

The All-India Port & Dock Workers' Federation, representing 48 per cent of the workforce in the major ports, has urged the major ports and the Union Government to pay productivity-linked bonus to the workers at the rate of 20 per cent as agreed upon or prepare to face agitation by January 26.

At a press meet here on Thursday, Mr S.R. Kulkarni, President of the federation, said the Indian Ports Association had signed an agreement in May regarding payment of bonus and the matter had also been taken to the notice of the Shipping Minister, Mr T.R. Baalu, several times.

"They are testing our patience on the productivity-linked bonus. It should be paid immediately at the rate of 20 per cent, subject to a ceiling of Rs 6,000 per worker," he said.

Complaining that the condition of the workers in the major ports was worsening all the time, Mr Kulkarni said that the manpower in the major ports had declined from 1,02,000 in 1999 to 60,000 now.

"On account of the policies of the Union Government, inviting FDI and giving many berths on BOT basis, the manpower in ports has witnessed a slump and there will be further fall," he said.

Merger of 50 per cent DA with basic pay and restoration of retirement age in major ports to 60 years were the other major issues which should be dealt with by the Government, Mr Kulkarni said.

Panel for wage revision

Wage revision would be due to the port and dockworkers from January 1 and a bipartite committee would have to be constituted for the purpose. He said his federation as the largest representative should be given proportional representation on the wage negotiation panel.

Mr Kulkarni appreciated the efforts of the Visakhapatnam Port Trust in being the number one port in the country for the past six years, "but the workers should be given their due for the achievement."

He said several posts were lying vacant in the port and employment should be provided to the master list candidates. (The master list is a list of the kith and kin of the deceased employees and medically invalidated employees of the port who have the requisite qualifications for getting jobs.)

Govt policies hindrance

Mr D.K. Sarma, the Additional General Secretary of the federation and a member of the Vizag Port Trust, said that due to the policies of the Government the workforce in the Vizag port had dwindled from 12,000 a decade ago to 4,471, at present, and there was a similar slump in the dock labour board from 3,000 to 1,200. He said the vacancies in the dock labour board should be filled up with candidates from the master list.

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