The Cochin port came to a standstill on Tuesday as only a handful of staff reported for duty on account of a hartal called by a section of port workers.
Trade unions of the port called for the hartal as conciliation talks in New Delhi to settle the ongoing strike by the employees of the Marine wing of the port had failed. The unions have also decided to continue with the strike. Meanwhile, the Navy has withdrawn from assisting the port to handle ships.
The Rajiv Gandhi Container Terminal (RGCT), which is under the management of DP World, worked partly today.
Though the strike by the marine wing started on April 26, the functioning of the port was not affected till Monday thanks to the help extended by the Navy. The port chairman had requested the southern Naval Command to do the tugging and berthing of ships.
A top port official told Business Standard that the port would officially submit a request to the Navy through the Department of Shipping as the strike would cause a complete stoppage of the working of the port in the coming days.
The employees are protesting against the implementation of a Central Industrial Tribunal award to cut down the number of employees in various sections of the port.
Cochin, Vizag and Paradip ports implemented the decision by April 23. Port workers unions have decided to spread the strike to all major ports of south India.