A THREATENED India-wide dock strike has been averted after docker union leaders and labour board officials reached an agreement when the shipping minister promised not to privatise major ports.
Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari told union leaders that he had ruled out the privatisation of public enterprises and said that reforms were aimed at restoring the competitiveness of major ports.
The unions said they withdrew the strike notice after authorities agreed to address the workers' fear of privatisation of state-owned major ports.
"There will be no change in terms and conditions of employment of the present employees, and their service conditions and benefits will be fully protected," the tentative agreement said.
The agreement also called for the setting up of a joint committee, with equal representation from both sides, to help find consensus on several unresolved issues within two months.
India's state-owned major ports have been doing badly vis-a-vis smaller private ports which have pushed up their market share from 23.6 per cent to 43 per cent.
Statistics compiled by JOC.com show cargo share of these major ports slipped from 76.4 per cent in fiscal year 2000-01 to 57.1 per cent in 2013-14, ending March 2014.
WORLD SHIPPING
15 March 2015 - 22:54
India-wide dock strike averted when minister vows not to privatise ports
A THREATENED India-wide dock strike has been averted after docker union leaders and labour board officials reached an agreement when the shipping minister promised not to privatise major ports.
WORLD SHIPPING
15 March 2015 - 22:54
India-wide dock strike averted when minister vows not to privatise ports
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