India’s Chief Labor Commissioner and the Dockworker Labor Unions reached a last-minute tentative agreement on some contentious issues, averting a strike that was planned to start today that would most likely have crippled the nation’s largest ports.
Both parties reached agreement that the issues raised by the unions would be addressed through changes to the new port law.

Indian Ports Again Threatened By Strikes
August 17, 2017
After negotiations with the government in connection with new legislation transforming all major ports into independent companies brought no results India’s Dockworkers Unions are contemplating a nationwide indefinite strike starting tomorrow, claiming that the government’s action curtail port workers’ fundamental rights.
In the negotiations that started after a strike in April unions pushed for a commitment from the Ministry of Shipping on protection of jobs and benefits for existing and retired workers, the inclusion of labor representatives on governing boards and continued inclusion of union representatives on the administrative boards of each port.
A strike at this critical time when the government is trying to increase port productivity through infrastructure upgrades and automation could put many of these initiatives in jeopardy, which would be devastating to the country’s goal to double exports by 2020.
We will monitor the situation and advise further details when known.