India’s major ports are bracing for potential disruptions due to an indefinite strike threatened by dockworkers unions, scheduled to begin on August 28. The unions, representing five national labour groups, cited the government’s reluctance to negotiate and settle their demands, submitted on September 5, 2021.
The unions expressed frustration over the lack of progress in wage negotiations, despite seven meetings of the Bipartite Wage Negotiation Committee (BWNC) over 31 months. They accused the ministry of adopting an “illegal and illogical attitude” and creating a stalemate in discussions.
The main concerns of the unions include unsettled wage hikes and productivity-linked rewards or bonus disbursements since 2021. The strike could impact India’s 12 major publicly-run ports, including Nhava Sheva (JNPT) and Chennai Port, which handle a significant portion of the country’s cargo volumes.
According to recent data, cargo volumes at major ports grew 4.5% year-over-year to 278.5 million tonnes from April to July, while containerized trade rose 9.6% to 4.3 million TEUs. The strike could disrupt the momentum, affecting over 50% of India’s ocean trade, which is handled at these major ports.
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