The affiliated unions of Water Transport Workers Federation of India have started observing demands week at all major ports.
The protest week, which commenced from June 22, will be observed till June 28.
The demand of the Federation is to initiate a dialogue by the Shipping Ministry to convene a bipartite wage negotiating committee to formulate the new wage and other related service conditions for port and dock workers.
The affiliated unions are also demanding early payment of the remaining PLR (Bonus) which could have been paid for the year 2010-11.
Mr T. Narendra Rao, General Secretary of the Federation, said that the discussion with the five major recognised federations for the next settlement for the payment of PLR for the year 2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14 was over.
However, the settlement has not yet been signed, he said.
Similarly, the India Ports Association had not yet implemented Dr Afzul Purkar committee report on categorisation and classification of port and dock workers.
The delay in implementation would lead to violation of settlement reached on August 2000 under the Industrial Disputes Act, he said.
During the week long campaign, all these issues would be highlighted and the affiliated unions would also raise these issues to the Chairmen of the port trusts concerned, he said.