The Water Transport Workers Federation of India, affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), will stage a 48-hour satyagraha from May 23 at Willingdon Island in protest against the Major Port Authorities Bill, 2016, which it termed as “anti-national, anti-port and anti-working class”.
Autonomy promised
In a statement, the Federation said the Union Shipping Ministry had clarified during discussions with the National Federations of Port and Dock Workers and other unions that the proposed legislation would provide more administrative and functional, autonomy for the efficient functioning of major ports by inducting various functional heads (Operations, Traffic and Finance) into the board of the port authority.
However, the Bill, in the present form, revealed that it was more centralised than the present Act.
The Central trade unions, federations and its affiliated unions feared that the Bill was a deliberate attempt to convert major ports into companies and gradually privatise them, the statement added.
The Federation alleged that the new Bill neglected the interest of labourers although labour was the main stakeholder.
Labour nominee
The provision relating to the appointment of a labour nominee in the board would blatantly violate the rights of trade unions.
The Bill stipulated that there would be only one labour nominee as against two members at present. In fact, the appointment of the labour nominee should be made by the Central government from among persons who, in the opinion of the Centre, was capable of representing the interest of employees in the port authority. The Federation said the intention of the government was to enfeeble the voice of labourers.
The Bill gave full powers to the Centre to issue directions to the board regarding the discharge of its functions under the Act. The decision of the Centre on any issue shall be final and binding on the board. The “dangerous” provision might be invoked by the Centre, which could lead to adverse implications, even affecting the structural set up of major ports, the statement added.
