The Hindu Business Line : Port staff defer strike till May 11 meeting

Kochi, May 3 The Kochi Thuramugha Samrakhana Samithy, a forum of trade unions formed to protect the interests of the Kochi Port, has decided to postpone the strike planned from May 4 to protest implementation of the new manning scales.

The union decided to put off the strike after the Chief Labour Commissioner decided to call a meeting with the representative of the unions in New Delhi on May 11 to find a solution to the dispute regarding the new manning scales in major ports.

The workers at Kochi have decided to spread the strike from Monday to all departments to express their solidarity with the striking Marine Department employees to protest against the port management’s decision to utilise the services of the Navy to carry out vessel movements.

Mr P.M. Mohammed Haneef, Vice-Chairman of the Samrakhana Samithy, said the unions have decided to wait for the outcome of the May 11 meeting in New Delhi.

The Samithy will announce its plans after May 11 and till then only employees of the Marine Department will continue the strike, he said.

The vessels movement to and from the port has been hit for the last six days after a section of the employees of the Marine Department launched a strike against reduction of employees in operational areas according to the manning scale revised under the National Industrial Tribunal Award of 2006.

The Port Trust authorities made it clear that the new manning scales would not lead to job loss. However, the trade unions did not agree to this.

The message from the Chief Labour Commissioner was conveyed to the trade unions here by the Assistant Labour Commissioner, Central.

More Stories on : Trade & Labour Unions | Shipping/Ports | Kerala

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