Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Jul 3: Kanara Stevedores Workers Union (INTUC) general secretary K Sadashiva Shetty informed at a press conference held here on Wednesday July 2, that the port and dock workers from all over the country will be launching an indefinite strike from July 16 onwards, demanding implementation of understandings reached at the Bipartite Wage Negotiating Committee in which officials of the road transport and national highways had taken part.

The New Mangalore Port Trust Joint Action Committee formed by coming together of various unions, has decided to abide by the call for agitation given by the national body, demanding for payment of interim relief of 13.5% of basic pay, merger of 50% DA with basic, medical benefits to retired employees on par with serving employees, implementation of Dr Bikram Sorcar Committee report and several other demands.

Shetty said that the manpower at the ports has been nosediving while productivity is mounting. The management still claims that the workers do not work upto their potentials and the department's expectations, he rued. The earlier wage agreement expired in 2006 and wage revision has not yet been made effective even after long delay, he noted.

NMPT trustee Ramachandra Gowda, NMPT Dock Workers Union general secretary Vinay Prakash Ashirwad and others were present.