Paradip: The cargo-handling operation was partially affected in Paradip Port Trust on Friday following the strike call given by a confederation of stevedore workers.
Both mechanised and manual cargo-handling operations were affected with the stevedore workers staying away from work and squatting in front of the entrance gate of the major port.
The agitating workers were protesting against the illegal retrenchment of section of workers by the stevedore managements.
As many as 40 stevedore agencies are on the cargo-handling job in the port. As many as 2,500 skilled workers are engaged by these agencies.
"However, the stevedore workers, whose sincere work has made Paradip port the country's second highest port in annual cargo handling, are victims of exploitative practice by their employers," said Abhaya Sahu, who led the confederation of stevedore workers.
The workers had staged a protest in January as well. "They were grossly underpaid. Besides, the stevedore workers were coercively engaged to work for around 10 hours a day in flagrant violation of the labour law. The agitation launched last time paid dividends as the stevedore managements fulfilled their demands. But, they later retaliated and began retrenching the workers. Later, they were transferred to far-off places," he said.
The strike was later withdrawn as the stevedore owners had consented to re-deploy the retrenched workers, he said.
"The striking workers' demands for eight-hour daily work schedule besides Rs 18,000 minimum monthly pay package have already been met with by the stevedore managements. The retrenchment issue is being looked into," said labour enforcement officer Sishir Kumar Sethy.
"Tight security measures were initiated in view of the strike call. No untoward incident was reported during the agitation," said Paradip additional superintendent of police Bishnu Charan Mishra.
The cargo-handling operation was partially affected following the strike.
The striking workers withdrew their agitation in the afternoon hours and reported for stevedoring duty. So, normality in the cargo-handling has been restored, said a port official.
