Railway workers threaten to go on strike; to protest on September 19

Mumbai Mirror | Updated: Sep 18, 2018, 

The railway workers’ body has threatened to go on strike over railway workers’ conditions. The National Joint Council of Action (NJCA) of Indian railway workers is planning to observe September 19 as the protest day in all Indian Zonal Railways, including railway workshop. If the railway administration didn't come with solution for their issues, then the union will go on strike in future after serving the strike notice.

According to the railway workers’ union, the working conditions of railwaymen are very poor. As many as two railwaymen die every day on an average in India. Therefore, the NJCA has demanded payment of risk allowance to all railwaymen, who work in the safety categories

"Finance Ministry has totally failed to implement certain agreed demands of the railwaymen, which were referred to them by the Railway Ministry,” said Ajay Singh, leader of Western Railway Mazdoor Sangh.

"The Railway Ministry had agreed to revise the minimum pay from Rs 1800 to at least Rs. 2100 gross payment," he added.

"Despite assurance from former rail ministers - Suresh Prabhu and Mallikarjun Kharge — decision on exemption of railwaymen from the New Pension Scheme is still pending," he alleged.

Indian Railways have been recruiting mechanical, electrical and civil engineering graduates in the railways through Railway Recruitment Board (RRB), but their career growth is very poor.

"Though allowances have been revised from January 1, 2017, the revision of kilometerage rate of running staff — loco pilots and guards — have not been done so far," said another union leader.

The Railway Ministry has also failed to fill up the vacancies in spite of repeated demonstrations and protests by recognised trade unions. There are 1,30,000 vacancies in safety categories on Indian Railways.