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Union port and dockworkers will support a planned strike by Indian seamen for Aug. 31 reports the Journal of Commerce. The joint move will disrupt cargo movement at ports and on Indian ships including Shipping Corp. of India, which carries container to and from the United States, Europe and China. The National Union of Seafarers of India called the strike to demand the government act to recoup losses of about 1 billion rupees ($22 million) suffered by a seamens retirement fund in a phony investment scheme two years ago. The Ministry of Shipping controls the Seamen's Provident Fund Organization, and it had assured seamen two years ago that all possible steps would be taken to recoup the lost funds, but nothing had been done. The strike comes at a time when Indian truckers have launched their own strike to protest the 10 percent service tax levied on them in the national budget. Truckers stopped booking cargo Wednesday, and said they will suspend all operations indefinitely as of Friday. The strike is expected to cost the trade and industry 6 billion rupees a day, and the government 40 billion rupees a day. About 500,000 trucks will be idled in the western state of Maharashtra alone, disrupting domestic cargo movement. Container movement also is expected to be hit. |
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