Kerala - Kochi   

Port workers await call for talks

KOCHI: Port and dock workers across the country are expecting a call from the Union Ministry of Shipping for negotiations on several outstanding issues to avert a strike that their unions deferred on September 1 paying heed to a call to create a conducive atmosphere for discussions.

“We are expecting to be called at any time for negotiations,” said a spokesman of one of the trade unions that is part of a federation here on Monday.

He said that leaders of all the five trade unions representing the port and dock workers met Union Shipping Secretary A. K. Mohapatra in New Delhi on August 28. The strike was deferred after a call from the Chief Labour Commissioner to create an atmosphere conducive for discussions. It was also decided that another round of conciliation talks would be held on September 21 pending discussions with the Union Shipping Ministry.

The five unions, representing workers under the All India Port and Dock Workers’ Federation, had issued the strike notice on August 16. The Federation threatened to go on strike from September 1 to press its demands including restoration of the age of retirement of port and dock workers to 60 years. The trade unions also wanted merger of 50 per cent dearness allowance with pay effective from April 2005 and an interim relief of Rs.1,000 a month to the workers, including pensioners, with effect from January this year.

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