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Photo: Union sources
Fears of a strike set to hit Indian government ports have ended as a new five-year labour agreement is finally approved and the labour tension at the major gateways eases.
The leadership of the country’s six leading dockworker unions had threatened stoppages from 17 December to secure a government nod to the enhanced wage and pension rules reached with port managements in September, a deal known locally as the Bipartite Wage Negotiation Committee (BWNC) Settlement.
“The approval of the competent authority is accorded to implement the BWNC settlement dated 27 September, arrived at between the management of major port authorities and six major federations of port and dock workers before the regional labour commissioner, Mumbai, in all major ports and dock labour boards,” the Ministry of Shipping said in a missive.
Trade union sources welcomed the reaffirmation of what had been agreed two months ago.
“All the 12 major port authorities have now been instructed to implement the updated BWNC contract,” one union source told The Loadstar.
“Workers have won the struggle, and we appreciate the ministry’s intervention to prevent supply chain disruption for businesses trying to get ahead of multiple challenges,”
Union leaders are expected to make an official announcement today regarding the strike notice withdrawal.
Pressure for an end to the impasse had also come from local industry stakeholders, including shipper and transport service groups. One logistics industry executive involved in customs clearance operations countrywide, said: “We are relieved that port strikes have been avoided in the interest of everyone.”
Container lines serving Indian trades had also voiced concerns and can now unwind the contingency plans they made for the labour action deadline.
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