Water Transport Workers' Federation of India demands scrapping of National Monetisation Pipeline for ports
The decision to protest was taken at the two-day Working Committee Meeting of the Water Transport workers' Federation of India held in Kochi on 6 and 7 August, said T Narendra Rao, General Secretary, Water Transport Workers' Federation of India.
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NEW DELHI: The Water Transport Workers' Federation of India, one of the five recognised unions at major ports, will protest on 15 September demanding withdrawal of the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) for ports stating that it will make the workers surplus, redundant and snatch away employment.
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority has become India's first landlord port after it privatised the self-run container terminal in July. The Water Transport Workers' Federation of India "apprehends" a similar situation playing out in other major ports as the enactment of the Major Port Authorities Act last year facilitates early implementation of the National Monetisation Pipeline by outsourcing cargo handling activities to private firms through the public-private-partnership (PPP) model.
The Water Transport Workers' Federation of India said that the government is expected to hand over core activities of ports, including marine operations, to private entities, per the provisions of the Major Port Authorities Act, and wants the law to be scrapped.
The Working Committee meeting of the Federation passed a resolution urging the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to conclude the wage settlement of port and dock workers quickly without any pre-condition.
The wage revision is due from January this year.
The Federation also demanded payment of Productivity Linked Reward (bonus) to port and dock workers before 30 September in view of the upcoming festivals.
The Federation has further urged the government to resume hiring for entry-level posts in major ports as thousands of operational posts are lying vacant due to government policies.
It has opposed attempts by the major port authorities to fill-up some of the vacant posts through manpower supply agencies.
The Working Committee meeting also urged the government to drop plans to privatise hospitals run by the major port authorities through the PPP model, Narendra added.
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