Port, Dock workers to observe strike from July 16

Visakhapatnam, Jul 12 (UNI)The All India Trade Union Congress(AITUC) National Secretary and the Visakhapatnam Harbour and Port Workers Union President V V Rama Rao today said the Port and Dark Workers in the country would observe strike from July 16 to press for revision of wages from January 2007, if the proposed talks with the Union Shipping Minister T R Baalu on July 15 failed to fructify.

Talking to newspersons here, he said the five Federations had served a notice after arriving at a consensus over demands like payment of bonus arrears after raising the ceiling, filling vacancies and interim relief, medical facility to retired employees outside port Hospitals.

Mr Rao also asked the workers to be prepared for an indefinite strike at any time after July 16. The ban imposed by the Port Management and the Government has resulted in burdening the working class in the Ports, he alleged.

The Union President said 30 years ago, 20,000 employees in the Visakhapatnam Port Trust(VPT) had handled 10,000 tonnes of cargo.

But now 60 million tonnes of cargo was being handled by 10,000 employees, he added.

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