More than 1,500 dock workers of Port Qasim in Pakistan have been protesting over unpaid salaries against Port Qasim Authority and a Chinese cargo handling company outside the Karachi Press Club for over a month now.
The Workers Union of Port Qasim set up a sit-in camp, protesting against Chinese company Huaneng Fuyun Port & Shipping who owe workers four months salary, and Port Qasim Authority for not helping to solve the issue.
According to the workers union, the main objective of the protest was to ensure that the authorities agreed to the workers’ terms and conditions, but most of all job security.
Huaneng Fuyun Port & Shipping was granted independent rights for two berths at Port Qasim for 30 years on a build-operate transfer basis in 2017 and is handling the coal supply at the port for the Sahiwal Energy Project being developed by a subsidiary of Chinese state-run energy group Huaneng.
Huaneng also reached an agreement with the worker’s union last year to hire workers for the two berths.
According to the union, Huaneng has suspended salary payment from July this year.
Hussain Badshah, secretary general of Workers Union of Port Qasim, said to local media that the union will announced further action today if demands are not accepted.
