Jawaharlal Nehru Port officers threaten mass casual leave on July 5

Over 250 officers of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) have threatened to go on a mass casual leave on July 5 as part of a nation-wide action plan to protest the delay in finalisation of pay revision, due from 2007.The All India Port and Dock Officers Federation, the apex trade union body of the dock and port officers, has charted out a nation-wide action plan to protest the delay, which has affected over 3,600 officers across 14 major ports in the country, a source told PTI here today.A notice in this regard has already been served to the JNPT management on June 17, the source said."The officers have decided to work without food on June 30 and subsequent to this action, they will go on a mass casual leave on July 5 if pay revision as per the Charter of Demands of the Federation is not concluded by June 30," the source said.On June 28, the officers would also wear black badges to register their protest, the source said."There is huge disparity in pay package, which is causing discontentment and frustration among the officers category," the source said, adding, "the officers have only been given assurances by the Government in the form of staggered deadlines."Nothing has moved despite the last deadline of May 31 having passed long back, the source said.According to the Federation, while pay structures of the officers of other PSUs have been revised by the government long back, the Port and Dock officers are left high and dry."The pay revision of Class III and IV employees has been concluded and even arrears disbursed to them. As a result, these employees are getting a basic salary much higher than officers," the source said.