A group of Indian port workers' unions has called for a strike from Wednesday, August 28, to demand immediate settlement of pay revisions and pension benefits, according to a note issued by union members on Monday, August 26.
A strike by India’s port workers could aggravate the existing congestion issues at Asian and European ports, leading to further delayed shipments, which have a global impact on trade and commerce, industry circles said.
India’s shipping ministry formed a bipartite wage negotiation committee in March 2021, and the workers submitted their demands six months later, ahead of the expiration of the previous agreement in December of that year but although the wage negotiation committee met seven times, it failed to meet the port workers' demands, the note said.
Major ports operators have invited representatives of the ports and dock workers’ unions for a discussion in New Delhi on Tuesday, August 27, to avert an indefinite nationwide strike call given by port workers union.
The workers unions are affiliated to five federations All India Port and Dock Workers Federation, All India Port and Dock Workers Federation (workers), Water Transport Workers Federation of India, Indian National Port and Dock Workers Federation and Port, Dock and Waterfront Workers Federation of India.
Vessel berthing and sailing will be stopped since port employees can operate tug boats to pull and push vessels in to berth and out of the berth respectively.
General cargo, dust cargo, bulk, break bulk categories will not be handled. All container terminals are private berths and receipts, delivery will not be affected but berthing and sail out of vessels will not happen, a union representative said.