Will not carry out charter of rates till settlements implemented
Chief Guest Dr Subir Sanzgiri lighting a traditional lamp in the presence of UBA President Puti Gaonkar, outgoing councillor Krishna Sankar, social worker Custidio Dsouza and others.
Photo Credits: Vikram Nayak
VASCO
United Bargemen association ( UBA ) President Puti Gaonkar has on Sunday demanded that the barge owners implement the 2007 wage settlement for barge workers failing which they will not take up the pending 2012, 2017 and 2021 charter of rates with the iron ore exporters
Gaonkar was speaking to reporters during a function to inaugurate the Comr S K Kulkarni Memorial Hall in the presence of chief Guest Dr Subir Sanzgiri, outgoing city ward councillor Krishna Sankar, social worker Custidio DSouza and other members of the union.
According to sources, UBA takes up the negotiation of rates for freight for barges with the exporters and in turn the barge owners fix a particular scale of rates from the freight amount for the employees of the barges and the charter of rates for the 5 year terms of 2012, 2017 and 2021 have not happened as yet.
Gaonkar speaking to media said that the facilities like 16 days on and 14 days off for barge workers and a particular scale of salaries were agreed to be paid by barge owners in the 2007 charter of rates but was not implemented.
"The Supreme Court had issued an order where ore extracted after 2018 could be transported from plots and mines and barges are getting business but the people working in barges are not getting the settlement as decided in 2007 and was due till 2012 and the workers for except a few barges are not getting proper payments and duties. The main benefit of 16 day work and 14 day off is also not being implemented by most barge owners and some workers are not even getting minimum wages and it is my duty to ensure workers get the wage settlement as decided," said Gaonkar.
UBA general secretary Nivrutti Kuncalienker said that if the 2007 wage settlement was implemented, every barge worker would get a good scale of pay.
"We have made efforts to ensure that we start calculating what amount the sailors are due and later go on to other employees, but till such time the settlement is not done we will not take up rate charter 2012, 2017 and 2021 as we need an assurance that the barge owners will at least implement the 2007 scale for employees. We have met the barge owners association but they have never attempted to implement the scale till date," said Kuncalienker.
Barge owner Atul Jadhav said that with closure of mining they could not implement the rates for employees.
"We will have a general body meeting and try to sort the issue and if mining starts our cash flow also increases and we can implement the settlement. As of now, we don't have much workers and once mining starts, our problem will be solved and subsequently employees' issues will also be resolved. We are expecting a cordial relationship as usual with this union which has never gone on a strike for the last 20 years," said Jadhav.
