VASCO: Goa Port and Dock Employees union along with Mormugao Port and Railway Workers Union, on Wednesday, held a demonstration in front of Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) head office at Mormugao, and chanted their demands. The workers unions also threatened to intensify their protest if MPT fails to listen to their demand and continues with privatization plan.
Workers alleged that the MPT has proposed to outsource the operations of berth numbers 10 and 11 on PPP mode. “There is a possibility of losing our jobs,” they said. “We have put this for conciliation with the labor dept,” they added. The workers have called for immediate stop to privatisation since it will have a bad effect on workers and stevedores, small private contractors and those in logistics. They fear that major players like Adani and JSW will come in and takeover all the work.
“The issue is presently in dispute before the labour commission. If the labur commissioner solves this issue it is well and good,” said workers.
“If PPP is implemented, over 800 workers will be on the streets,” said one worker. “If the management does not listen, we will hold another demonstration and then a strike. We will gather all the workers and stevedores and pensioners,” workers warned.