The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Workers go on strike at Kochi port

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 02, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Workers go on strike at Kochi port

Staff Reporter

In protest against 24-hour schedule

KOCHI: Container movement at Rajiv Gandhi Container Terminal of Kochi port, operated by India Gateway Terminal Limited (IGTL), was disrupted on Sunday with a small section of the workers at the terminal resorting to a strike.

Reach stack drivers and greasers and electrical maintenance men were among those striking work on Sunday, the first day of the 24-hour-seven-day-week schedule announced by Cochin Port Trust last week.

A spokesman for IGTL said that things were expected to improve in the second shift on Sunday but that had not happened even though the strikers apparently had no support from trade unions at the port.

Container loading was partially completed on Sunday on one vessel as IGTL substituted some workers to keep the box movement but there were too few men for the operations. Loading on another vessel was underway on Sunday afternoon.

The CPT has taken a serious view of the development. IGTL authorities were learnt to have decided against granting leave to any of the workers absent on Sunday. The operator has also decided to the dies non norms to the striking emp loyees.

The trade unions at the port had come out in support of the new working arrangement although they had asked for conveyance for the late night shift change and also for proper arrangements for taking food and rest.

Container terminal operations had been extended to 24 hours in keeping with the practice in other parts of the country and to improve productivity, said an official of IGTL.

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