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The All-India Port and Dock Workers' Federation has come out against the proposed Major Port Authorities Bill 2016, saying that the Bill would affect the interest of both labour and smooth operation of major ports.
The federation requested the Centre not to take any “arbitrary decisions” on the Bill, which was intended to replace the existing Major Port Trust Act. The proposed Bill is now before Parliament. Several of its provisions provide facilities to own port lands by sale instead of lease arrangement that exists at present, the union said.
Under the pretext of extending more autonomy to ports the government intended to hand over major ports to multinational companies and to ultimately convert them into landlord ports, according to the federation.
There was no need to repeal the current MPT Act. Instead, the government could update the Act by making amendments to the provisions wherever required, as suggested by several Parliamentary committees, said P.M. Mohammed Haneef, the federation president.
In the proposed Bill, he said the government has reduced labour representation in the Port Trust boards from the existing two to one and also proposed appointing a person representing labour without consulting the trade unions.
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