The national working committee meeting of Water Transport Workers Federation of India (WTWFI) will be held in Kochi on November 24 and 25.
The meeting is held in the backdrop of developments that the federation described as stemming from “ill-motivated policies of the Central government.”
A statement issued by the federation here on Thursday said no one could close their eyes to the developments that had brought most cargo handling operations, including container handling under transnationals, under the Major Port Trusts Act. At present, only two container terminals, one at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and another in Kolkata, are under the direct ownership of the respective port trusts.
The Union government is “determined to demolish the administrative and functional structure of major ports envisaged in the MPT Act 1963,” the statement added.
The Major Port Authority Bill 2016 was introduced in the Upper House of Parliament in December 2016 to repeal the Major Port Trust Act 1963.
The MPA Bill 2016 is likely to be pushed by the government in the ensuing session of Parliament. But “we are duty-bound to defeat the move of the Central government,” said the communication.
The committee will deliberate and decide on action to tackle the crucial situation independently and joining hands with other organisations. The committee will also evaluate the situation in the wake of the call by all Central trade unions and federations for a 48-hour national strike on January 8 and 9, 2019, the statement added.
Tapan Sen, general secretary, CITU, K. Chandran Pillai, all-India secretary, CITU; T. Narendra Rao, general secretary, WTWFI; K.N. Gopinath, State secretary, CITU, and leaders from all major ports in the country will attend.