Strike affects work at Haldia dock
Kolkata, June 23 Operations at Haldia dock have remained suspended for the past few days following a cease-work by a section of contractors’ workers demanding higher wages and more facilities.
The majority of the more than 3,000 such workers employed in various operations at the dock are participating in the strike, according to dock sources.
Sections Not hit
Unaffected, however, are the berths with mechanised handling facilities such as oil jetties and coal and iron ore berths that do not deploy contractors’ workers.
The container operation too remained unaffected as the handful of contractors’ workers engaged in the operation stayed away from the strike. But there is apprehension that they will be forced to join the strike soon.
All other berths, including the two BOT berths, have been badly hit.
Wage call
Those on strike include wagon unloaders, truck loaders and handling equipment operators.
The strikers, under the banner of the CITU-affiliated Haldia Dock Complex Thikadar and Agency Sramik Union, are demanding higher wages. The effort of the union president, till recently the Marxist MP from the area, to reach a settlement has yielded no result.
On June 3, the same set of workers had observed a strike pressing for the same demands. They withdrew the strike on assurance from the union president that the issues would be settled by June 20. However, that did not happen. The unloaders of iron ore from wagons struck work on Saturday and other categories of contractors’ workers joined subsequently.
With the change in political scenario in the State, it seems, the erstwhile Marxist MP is fast losing control. The members of his own union, it is reported, are up in arm against him. Not without reasons, though.
As the strikers complain, the contractors, considered to be close to the politician, charge hefty amounts from importers and exporters but pay a pittance to the workers after appropriating a handsome margin. This, it is pointed out, could not have happened without the connivance of the powers that be.
The strikers have also blocked the main road leading to the dock, obstructing road movement. The Haldia dock authorities have informed the district magistrate as well as the local administration. The dock authorities plead helpless as the strikers are not employees of the dock.
Source :blonnet
Related posts
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or Subscribe to SeafarerBlog.com by Email and get all future updates delivered to you for FREE by email.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment