Indefinite river transport strike from today
Saturday, 8 May 2010
FE Report
River transport workers were scheduled to enforce an indefinite strike across the country from Friday midnight (early Saturday) to press home their 22-point demands, as the government's assurance to increase their wages did not match with the expectation.
Bangladesh Noujan Sramik Federation - the largest vessel workers union - had called the strike, as it believed the new pay scale did not meet its expectation, since it demanded 300-350 per cent increase in the salary.
The transport workers decided to start the strike as per their earlier declaration, as a meeting between the representatives of the government, owners and workers on Thursday evening failed to resolve the issue.
The Shipping Minister recently announced that they would increase the workers' wages by 50-60 per cent following a tripartite meeting between the vessel owners, workers and the government representatives at Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).
Following the new pay scale, the salary of masters and drivers will increase by 60 per cent, while the second and third class employees will get 55 and 50 per cent boost in their wages respectively.
On March 15 the workers went on a non-stop strike to realise their demands. However, they called off the work stoppage following an understanding reached at a tripartite meeting between the representatives of the government, owners and workers on March 18.
Joint secretary of River Transport Workers Federation Abul Kashem Master said it was agreed in the meeting that a uniform pay scale for all workers based on the National Pay Scale 2009 will be announced and implemented by April 30.
Although the representatives of the government and owners held meetings four times since then, they failed to announce the new pay scale, he added.
To realise the demands, the river transport workers enforced indefinite work stoppage five times during the last two years.
The 22-point demands include declaration of a new pay scale for the transport workers, proper implementation of Marine Act, cancellation of the tenure certificates of the transport masters and drivers, dredging of all rivers to ensure navigability, and stopping robbery in the waterway.
The shipping minister Friday termed the strike illogical, and warned of stern action against any unlawful attempt to disturb the country's river transport.
Meanwhile, at least 10 workers were injured during sporadic clashes between two groups of workers - one supporting the strike and the other opposing it - at Sadarghat Launch Terminal in the city on Friday morning.
River transport workers were scheduled to enforce an indefinite strike across the country from Friday midnight (early Saturday) to press home their 22-point demands, as the government's assurance to increase their wages did not match with the expectation.
Bangladesh Noujan Sramik Federation - the largest vessel workers union - had called the strike, as it believed the new pay scale did not meet its expectation, since it demanded 300-350 per cent increase in the salary.
The transport workers decided to start the strike as per their earlier declaration, as a meeting between the representatives of the government, owners and workers on Thursday evening failed to resolve the issue.
The Shipping Minister recently announced that they would increase the workers' wages by 50-60 per cent following a tripartite meeting between the vessel owners, workers and the government representatives at Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).
Following the new pay scale, the salary of masters and drivers will increase by 60 per cent, while the second and third class employees will get 55 and 50 per cent boost in their wages respectively.
On March 15 the workers went on a non-stop strike to realise their demands. However, they called off the work stoppage following an understanding reached at a tripartite meeting between the representatives of the government, owners and workers on March 18.
Joint secretary of River Transport Workers Federation Abul Kashem Master said it was agreed in the meeting that a uniform pay scale for all workers based on the National Pay Scale 2009 will be announced and implemented by April 30.
Although the representatives of the government and owners held meetings four times since then, they failed to announce the new pay scale, he added.
To realise the demands, the river transport workers enforced indefinite work stoppage five times during the last two years.
The 22-point demands include declaration of a new pay scale for the transport workers, proper implementation of Marine Act, cancellation of the tenure certificates of the transport masters and drivers, dredging of all rivers to ensure navigability, and stopping robbery in the waterway.
The shipping minister Friday termed the strike illogical, and warned of stern action against any unlawful attempt to disturb the country's river transport.
Meanwhile, at least 10 workers were injured during sporadic clashes between two groups of workers - one supporting the strike and the other opposing it - at Sadarghat Launch Terminal in the city on Friday morning.