Indian seafarers will get a wage increase of more than 20 per cent. This follows a wage negotiation held on Friday between Indian shipowners' representatives and the National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI). The union has also decided to defer its strike on August 29. |
To sort out the six-yea"�old pending wage agreement, shipowners have settled for one-time cash payment of Rs 1,400 per seaman per month and Rs 1,900 for petty officers onboard of Indian flag vessels. Earlier, they had extended 10 per cent of wages as interim relief and statutory gratuity. |
"This will result in outgo of few crores from Indian shipowners for settling pending wage negotiation. The second phase of wage negotiation with unions will start shortly," sources close to development said. |
NUSI general secretary Abdul Gani Y Serang said: "The token strike has been deferred as a good amount of arrears has been achieved. We are looking forward to a second phase of the agreement." |
Indian National Shipowners' Association (INSA) was mediating the talks with NUSI. When contacted, INSA secretary general SS Kulkarni said the shipowners were willing to extend necessary benefits to seafarers. |
"Shipowners have already extended various interim relief as per the norms. The delay in settling wage negotiations were due to rivalry of unions," he said. |
Maritime Union of India (MUI) and NUSI had approached the High Court for deciding authority to sign wage agreements with INSA. |