Officers of the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT), West Bengal's largest maritime facility that services an extensive hinterland including neighbouring nations, are threatening to go on casual leave on May 21 to demand an early finalisation of pay revisions. It is understood that officers of the 11 other major ports in the country are also to join the action.
Although pay revision settlement of 60,000 Class III and Class IV employees, represented by five labour federations, was been signed earlier this year, KoPT sources have claimed that revisions for 3,600 offers of 12 major ports countrywide has been due since 2007.
Sources said that at the Haldia Dock Complex (HDC), which is administered by KoPT, the minimum basic pay and the maximum basic pay being drawn by an officer of HDC is Rs 8,850 and Rs 24,000, respectively. While, of the 3,400 employees at the facility, 50 Group ‘C’ staff are drawing a basic pay higher than Rs 24,000 and only 4 Group ‘D’ staff are drawing basic pay less than Rs 8,850.
On his part, Union minister of state for shipping Mukul Roy washed his hands off the matter and said, “This is an all India issue and I am not the person to speak on this. Please contact my principal minister.”
