Port and dock workers will go on an indefinite strike from March 9 against the move to corporatise major ports.

A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of five major federations held in Mumbai.

The unions, which participated in the meeting, were Water Transport Workers’ Federation of India, All India Port & Dock Workers’ Federation, All India Port & Dock Workers’ Federation (workers), Port, Dock & Waterfront Workers’ Federation, and Indian National Port & Dock Workers’ Federation.

An official strike notice will be served at the respective ports on February 20 and the federations have forwarded a joint letter to the Union Shipping Minister in this regard. It was also decided to start extensive campaign against corporatisation, T.Narendra Rao, General Secretary of Water Transport Workers Federation, said.

He alleged that the Ministry has adopted a negative approach towards the agreed points of various statutory settlements like pension consolidation to all the port pensioners, consultation before evolving an industrial policy to recognise the trade unions at major ports, filling up of required manpower etc.

The Ministry is going ahead with the corporatisation move unilaterally disregarding the advice given by the 2011 Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport that the view of labour federations should also be considered before proceeding ahead with the issue, he said.

According to Rao, the Ministry has now prepared a roadmap towards corporatisation of major ports by preparing a Cabinet note. The move will be detrimental to the existence of ports, besides affecting the survival of workers and pensioners.

The federations have urged the Government to give them an opportunity to represent their grievances before proceeding with the move.

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