Starting 28 August 2024, major ports across India including Visakhapatnam Port are set to go on an indefinite strike, as announced by leaders from various workers’ unions during a press conference in Visakhapatnam. Among those present were AITUC leader Massen, Visakha Port Employees leader Mangayya Naidu, CITU leaders Padmanabaraju and B. Lakshman Rao, CFTUI leader Kanaka Rao, and INTUC’s Gorle Chandu, who jointly released a pamphlet outlining their grievances.
The union leaders expressed their deep frustration with the BJP-led government, accusing it of autocratic behaviour and neglecting the demands of port workers. They pointed out that pay revisions for employees and pensioners at major ports have been pending for 28 months, with the BJP repeatedly postponing resolutions. Despite seven meetings held in Delhi, Mumbai, and Visakhapatnam, no progress has been made on the issue. The pay revision, which has been delayed since January 1, 2022, remains the primary demand of the striking workers.
The strike is expected to have significant consequences, particularly in disrupting the loading and unloading of containers, which could worsen congestion at ports in Asia and Europe. Reports indicate that several dockworkers’ unions have issued a warning to the Government of India, demanding that their pending wages and benefits be addressed promptly, or they will continue the strike until their demands are met. The potential delay in shipments could have a ripple effect on global trade and commerce.
In March 2021, India’s Ministry of Shipping established a bipartite wage negotiation committee to address the concerns of port workers. However, despite port workers submitting their demands six months later, ahead of the expiration of the previous agreement in December 2021, no tangible progress has been made. The negotiation committee has met seven times without any resolution, leaving the dockworkers’ demands unaddressed for over three-and-a-half years.
The All India Port Workers’ Federation, which includes the national coordination committees of six major port workers’ unions and federations, has highlighted that the last wage and benefit agreement expired on December 31, 2021. They have been calling for the new agreements to be implemented retrospectively from January 2022. The Federation also noted the deteriorating industrial relations at the ports, describing the situation as dire.
Approximately 20,000 dockworkers agreed to strike following a meeting in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, on the 7th and 8th of this month. They unanimously decided to join the strike. Visakhapatnam Port has decided to partake in the strike.
No new date for bilateral negotiations has been set, but there is hope that the government may step in to prevent the strike.
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