KARACHI: The Karachi Dock Labour Board (KDLB) and the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) after a long delay have finally reached an agreement over the issue of payment of wages and welfare cess to dock labour on cargo and container handling at the South Asia Pakistan Terminal (SAPT).

The KPT under concession agreement with Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) as a terminal operator of the SAPT executed in 2007 committed that KDLB would not be involved in operations at the terminal.

This was strongly opposed by the dock labour unions and ever since they had been agitating against the concession agreement which removed their role in the cargo handling activity of the terminal for getting wages and royalty.

However, the situation turned ugly when the terminal started its commercial operations in December 2017 and dock labour ever since had been agitating and even went on strike demanding for wages and cess against cargo/container handling at the SAPT. During this period many a time negotiations were held between KDLB Collective Bargaining Agent (CBA) and the KPT over the issue but without any results.

However, new KPT chairman Rear Admiral Jamil Akhtar took keen interest in the issue and after consulting KDLB vice chairman Muhammad Younus Vayani decided to resolve the long-standing issue.

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2018