Mangalore port staff to agitate tomorrow

Mangalore, July 24 (UNI) The New Mangalore Port Staff Association, as part of a nationwide protest, will organise a mass demonstration in front of the administrative office of NMPT here tomorrow to press their demands.

Addressing a press conferecne here today, Association President N Ramachandra Gowda said the Union Government had not fulfilled some of their long-pending demands despite repeated appeals.

He said the five major federations, the signatories of the wage settlement of August two, 2000, were against the implementation of the 'National Tribunal Award, Kolkata' as they were of the firm view that its implementation would result in paralysing all major ports.

The Tribunal Presiding Officer neither took into account the local conditions prevailing in each port nor thought it fit to hear the views of experts before giving the award, Mr Gowda said.

He demanded that the Union Government keep in abeyance the implementation of the award in the larger interest of the country's economy and call federations to reach an amicable settlement.

UNI MA GD SKB1615