Tribunal to look into port staff's incentives

 The tribunal will be based either in Mumbai or Kolkata. An official notification to the effect would be issued shortly, port officials said today.

 At present, all workers at the major ports receive incentives at a flat rate of 20 per cent of their salary per month without considering the profit or productivity of the ports. Only those with a monthly salary above Rs 2,500 are eligible for the scheme.

 Under the system of productivity-linked rewards, incentives granted to employees will be commensurate with the performance of the ports in terms of efficiency. This system would penalise non-performing ports and egg the efficient ones to improve their track record further, port officials said.

 The issue first came into light in the mid-nineties when the government initiated steps to switch over from the uniform rate of remuneration to a port specific remuneration.

 In 1996, a settlement was drawn which stated that after three years, managements of port trusts would have to come up with a scheme for productivity-linked rewards.

 The scheme faced resistance from all the four major ports and the dock workers