Hundreds of industrial workers, employees, and labourers under the banner of Paradip Port Workers’ Union staged ademonstration in front of Paradip Port Trust (PPT) administrative building on Friday protesting Bipartite Wage Negotiation Committee (BWNC) which is disregarding legitimate demands of the port workers. Addressing the protest meeting, veteran trade union leader and PPT trust board member Sudhakar Mantry said the BWNC prescriptions are unacceptable.
The BWNC denies pension to retired employees since January 2012, hike in port workers salary, while it prescribes for reduction of manpower in port establishments, the agitating employee lamented. They said,
“We oppose the recommendations of the BWNC which are against the interest of the port workers and pension holders of 12 major ports of the country. So we have decided to go for an all India strike if our demands are not met in coming days.”
The workers union also criticised the BWNC act and said an all India port workers trade unions’ and associations’ conclave is scheduled to be held at Chennai on October 6, where the participant trade unions will take a decision with regard to the BWNC.