Dhaka: The River Vessel Workers Federation Saturday finally called off a wildcat strike enforced to press the government for a further raise in their wages in the just-announced pay scale.

The announcement came from a press briefing in the BIWTA conference room in the city.

Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan thanked the workers for withdrawing the strike. “Good sense prevailed on the striking workers,” he said.

Sources said they called off the nine-day strike after receiving assurance of meeting their demands from a tripartite meeting among the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Shipping Ministry, the Chairman of the Standing committee on Labour and Employment Ministry and the leaders of the River Vessel Workers Federation.  

“Resume your work at respective workstation,” the federation issued a call for ending the deadlock in the waterway communications that cut off supply lines from the seaports and stranded commuters.

General Secretary of the River Vessel Workers Federation Chawdhury Ashikul Alam told banglanews24.com.bd,” We withdrew the strike as the chairmen of the standing committees on the two ministries assured us of fulfilling our demands.”

Among others, General Secretary of Federation Chowdhury Ashikul Alam, Joint secretary Abul Kashem Master and Abu Tahir and joint secretary of Bangladesh Lighter Workers Union Nurul Absar were present there.

River-transport workers went on the strike across the country on May 7 to press their 22-point demands, including the wage hike.

BDST: 08: 10 Hrs, May15, 2010.
SF/MS/MMA/MUA