The Hindu Business Line : Strike at New Mangalore Port against award implementation

Mangalore, Aug. 1 Labour force at New Mangalore Port began strike on Saturday against the implementation of the National Tribunal Award on new manning scale and deployment of workers in various departments.

Mr P. Tamilvanan, Chairman of NMPT, told Business Line that the port has implemented the National Tribunal Award with effect from August 1. The implementation is as per the settlement by the management and trade unions, he said. It is learnt that NMPT labour workers refused to take ‘work token’ on Saturday morning. The labour unions insisted that the port management not implement the National Tribunal Award for major ports on deployment of labour for handling cargo operations inside the port.

Mr Dinesh Achar, General Secretary of the Karnataka Dock and General Workers’ Union (affiliated to HMS), said the Tribunal Award has gone beyond the terms of reference. The Government and the federations of dock and port workers should discuss this issue at the national level as it is applicable for all the major ports and come out with a solution.

Staff strength

Mr Sadashiva Shetty, General Secretary of the Canara Stevedoring Workers’ Union (affiliated to INTUC), said the way of work is different at the major ports. He said the workers’ strength is minimum at New Mangalore compared with other ports. “We have told the management that the guidelines of the Government should be applicable to all the ports in the country,” he said, adding that some major ports have not yet implemented the award.

Mr Tamilvanan said that “he will convene a meeting with the unions to discuss the issue.” Mr Achar said the union will attend the meeting, if invited.

Sources said that offloading of fertilisers from a vessel was affected by the strike.

The vessel carrying 33,000 tonnes of fertiliser cargo for Karnataka, began offloading on Friday. Around 1,600 tonnes of fertiliser was offloaded.

Mr Shekar Pujari, President of Association of NMP Stevedores, said that “many vessels are waiting at the anchorage and at the berth.”

The port management and unions should discuss the matter, and find a way out to solve the issue. They should not prolong it. The practical requirement of labour should be deployed, and unwanted labour should be eliminated,” he said.

In a late evening press release, the NMPT said that before implementation of the award, the port management had discussed with trade unions representing the labour on various occasions and impressed upon them to fall in line with other major ports to honour the National Industrial Tribunal award and abide by the direction of the Government.

Consistent appeals were made to trade unions and labour to cooperate with the management in doing so.

The release said that though the registered cargo handling workers have given their attendance at 6 a.m. on August 1, they abstained from doing duties and, thereby, struck the work. “Such sudden striking of the work without notice is illegal and against the provisions of the Labour Laws,” it said.

The port users, trade, the Government and Regional Labour Commissioner are apprised of the situation and action is being taken to resolve the issue amicably. The work relating to all other departments are functioning normally, the release added.

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