Strike Disrupts Cargo Handling at Indian Ports

A 24-hour general strike by major trade unions severely disrupted operations at several Indian ports Tuesday.

Protesting the central government’s labor policies, the entire workforce walked off the job at the ports of Cochin, Kolkata and Haldia, according to news reports.

Cargo movements at other publicly-owned ports were affected to a lesser extent.

In the states of West Bengal and Kerala, the general strike brought cargo work to a near-standstill as even airlines suspended most of their services.

Besides dockworkers, state and central government employees from other sections joined the one-day protest, which followed a similar nationwide industrial action about two months ago.

The Trade Coordination Committee, representing eight major labor unions, launched the latest strike to exert pressure on the government to reconsider its planned changes in public-sector organizations, especially regarding divestment of state ownership and increased foreign direct investment in the banking and insurance sectors. Other grievances included burgeoning inflation and the lack of social security in the unorganized sector.

In related news, the government recently indicated plans to sell up to 20 percent of its share in the Shipping Corporation of India, the national ocean carrier, as part of its divestment program. The board of SCI later approved the proposal and initiated a process for selection of merchant banks and other key intermediaries to administer its proposed public offer and offer for sale by the government.

- The Journal of Commerce.