Workers oppose corporatisation of major ports in India

Visakhapatnam: The 9th National Conference of the Water Transport Workers Federation of India concluded its two-day delegate session here with an appeal to the workers to oppose corporatisation of major ports in the country.

General secretary of United Port and Dock Workers Employees Union K Padmanabha Raju, at a press conference here on Sunday, said more than 200 delegates from various major ports in the country as well as non-major/private ports like Gangavaram, Krishnapatnam and Kakinada also attended the meet.

• About 200 delegates representing major public and private ports in the country discuss threat posed by corporatisation of ports and the “anti-worker” policies pursued by the Centre
• Union representatives express concern over possible dangers to safety and security of the country as major ports are being handed over to foreign companies
• Condemn the government’s attempts to abolish board of trustees and institute board of directors in important ports in the country

The conference deliberated in depth about the situation in the industry and threats faced by the port industry as well as the anti-worker policies being pursued by the Ministry of Shipping. Padmanabha Raju said the conference evaluated the real problems in broad perspective and concluded that it is time working class unitedly resisted the moves of the government in corporatize the major ports which would ultimately lead to privatisation.

The government is hastily proceeding to replace the MPT Act 1963 which provides administrative autonomy to the respective major ports through the board of trustees. Now the government wants to demolish the entire structure of major ports in the name of structural changes and put in place board of directors in the place of board of trustees, he alleged.