Indian Dockworkers Threaten Strike at Government Ports
ndian dockworkers are planning to go on an indefinite strike beginning on 17th December if their demands for wage revisions and productivity-linked reward schemes are not fulfilled by 15th December. Workers’ unions are asking the government to deliver on their unmet promises made earlier this year.
The call for the strike has been issued by a coalition of six labor unions in India. Workers have been receiving ad hoc pay ever since the expiration of their last contract in 2021. Negotiations have been ongoing for a new contract ever since then. Workers have been negotiating for the implementation of a retroactive productivity-linked scheme, for which many are yet to receive benefits, along with revisions in salaries and pension benefits since the expiry of the last contract.
An agreement was reached between the labor unions and the government on 29th September this year, which averted a nationwide strike at the time.
Workers’ unions are protesting now about the government not delivering upon their agreement even after two months. The unions convened a meeting and decided upon beginning their protests on 5th December, which would then be joined by retired employees on 10th December.
The protests are then planned to continue till 15th December, following which a nationwide strike of government ports would commence on 17th December if the workers’ demands are not met. The strike would involve 12 government seaports, some of which are among the largest in India and account for a significant portion of the trade volume. The strike would impact around 18,000 workers, incurring a daily estimated loss of $15 million due to halted port activity.
