Port employees’ unions in India have agreed to a new five-year wage deal with government officials, averting a planned nationwide strike scheduled to start on Aug. 28, according to Bloomberg.
The new deal halts a walkout that could have involved nearly 20,000 workers and brought widespread disruption to cargo operations at some of the nation’s busiest ports. Unions at India’s 12 major state-run ports have been negotiating with the government since 2021 to try to increase pay.
Under the newly agreed terms, unions accepted an 8.5% wage increase over five years, backdated to Jan. 1, 2022, said Narendra Rao, a Working Committee Member of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions.
P.M. Mohammed Haneef, President at All India Port and Dock Workers’ Federation, said management has agreed to conclude the proceedings of the wage negotiations panel within 15 days.