Date:29/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/29/stories/2007112959360100.htm

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Strike on at container depot

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: A flash strike by container handling workers at the inland container depot at the port continued for the second day on Wednesday as trade unions stood firm on their demand that gang workers be deployed for container-handling operations.

A meeting convened by the port management in the afternoon failed to end the strike. The Regional Labour Commissioner convened a meeting of port representatives, officials of India Gateway Terminals Ltd. (IGTL), which operates the Rajiv Gandhi Container Terminal for the Cochin Port Trust, and leaders of trade unions.

The containers that arrived at the port by rail on Tuesday were not handled, though loading operations for a vessel that arrived on Wednesday were carried out.

A statement from the Joint Forum of Trade Unions at the Cochin Port Trust said that there was an agreement that gang workers would be deployed to handle containers and that IGTL was violating this agreement.

This is the second flash strike at the container depot on the issue.

One that started on November 12 paralysed container movement for about two days.

The port trust called for discussions and an amicable settlement of the strike, though it said the agitation was not justifiable.

A circular from the trust said lightning strikes had been causing serious concern. The port had taken the view that it was committed to honouring the commitments made by its management.