Loco Pilot strike at Madurai

MADURAI, May 31, 2014

Flash strike by loco pilots

Special Correspondent

Departure of 3 trains delayed

Caught unawares:Passengers of Chennai-Guruvayur Express waiting at platform two of Madurai railway junction after pilots went on a flash strike on Friday.— Photo: G. Moorthy

A flash strike by locomotive pilots and assistant pilots delayed the departure of three trains at Madurai railway junction on Friday evening.

The pilots were agitating against the new crew-link prepared for the pilots and assistant pilots and scheduled for implementation from Saturday. “The pilots complain of reducing the manpower in the new crew link which they say will increase the workload on individuals,” said V. Ramkumar, assistant divisional secretary, Southern Railway Mazdoor Union.

However, the officials said only rationalisation of available manpower had been worked out by the officials at zonal level.

The representatives held talks with Divisional Railway Manager A.K. Rastogi. The strike was called off after the new schedule was put off.

Consequent to the strike, the Chennai-Guruvayur Express and Tiruchendur-Palani passenger train were detained for more than an hour at the junction. Similarly, the departure of Madurai-Shencottah passenger was delayed by 20 minutes.