Letter to CHief Labour Commissioner

To,
The Chief Labour Commissioner (C)
Ministry of Labour
Sharam Shakti Bhawan
New Delhi

Respected sir,


This Association gave a call to the entire Loco Running Staff over the Indian Railway to observe 24 hrs Fast on 8th Oct, 09 from 0/hrs to 0/hrs. Such a drastic Trade Union action is a natural out come of the apathy showing by the Ministry of Railways on the demands put forward by the workers and the Association.

The several protest programs were conducted, number of memorandum at different occasions since April 2008 have been submitted to different concerned authorities/Committees including the Hon’ble MR and the Railway Board. We also met the Railway Board Officials repeatedly apprised our grievances, we also approach to around 400 member of Parliament (Loksabha / Rajyasabha) and the Central Ministers and placed our grievances for its redressal.

1. The 6th CPC allowed a Grade Pay of Rs. 1900/- for the Asst. Loco Pilot of I.R which is not commensurate with the responsibility attached to the post. We demands to raise the grade pay to Rs 2800/- for Asst. Loco Pilot. Besides we demanded different and distinctive grade pay for Loco Pilot, Goods, Passenger and Mail on the consideration of functional difference among them.

2. Revising of Running allowance, in accordance with the formula of Running allowance Committee 1980, based on TA rate Rs. 210/- for ALP whose GP is below Rs. 4200/- and Rs. 340/- for LPs whose GP is Rs. 4200/-


3. Restrict the duty hour at a streach to 8 hrs and judicious review of HOER.

A detail memorandum on the grievances submitted to Ministry of Railways is enclosed herewith which is self explanatory.

At this juncture on behalf of the entire Loco Running Staff, we request for your kind intervention to avoid unpleasant situation in Railways and also request to persuade the Ministry of Railway to concede the demands.

Thanking you,

Your,s faithfully
M. N. Prasad

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Matter For notice- Regional convention

UNITE TO FIGHT OUT INJUSTICE

Resist new Running Allowance rates which allow Rs.7.50 as TA for a day for RC and any other Training.Rs.68/- as TA in a month for working trains all the 365 days for Loco Pilots.

While this Association is on the serious agitational path against the deeply depressed pay structure of Asst. Loco Pilots, the release of report of the committee under Chairmanship of Adv (IR) RBE 202/2008 regarding pay element and rate of Running allowance come like “Bolt from the Blue”
As per RBE 202/2008 orders the rate of Running allowance for LP (Pass) is derived as Rs.169/- and Rs 121/- for ALP the committee says.
• Though every reason exist to reduce the pay element even after IV and V CPC by considering the Running staff productivity is more important, if an attempt is made to reduce the pay element basing on depression concept will ultimately lower the motivation level and in turn affecting the efficiency in train operation.
• Assuming TA revision as Rs.210/- and taking minimum of pay band Rs. 9300 + GP Rs. 4200,arrived the rate at Rs.160/-and decided not to continue the RAC 1980 formula and concluded Doubling of mileage rate with effect from 01.09.2008.
Continuously and vigorously our Association is strongly advocating against the ‘depression concept’ for arriving % of pay element. The same is accepted by the committee only because of our united struggles. But RAC 1980 clearly devised a formula to determine the rate of Running Allowance, accordingly for the past 28 years periodical revision of rate of Running Allowance has been taken place basing on the varying parameters of the formula despite our reservations on the parameters.
The newly coined depression concept by RAC 2002 on selective and convenient comparison to suit to their ill intention without considering the nature of work, duties and responsibilities of Loco Running Staff and that of other Non-Running Staff only been taken by Adv(IR) committee, but deliberately ignored the enhanced number of days of TA and real time data on NAK(4700km).Further this committee has taken minimum of PB 2 ie.Rs.9300+GP Rs.4200,wherein which no LP(Pass) draws Rs.9300 as pay in pay band is unjust and intended to reduce the pay of Running staff. Loco running staffs are given just replacement scales, in order to retain the relativity with others, mean pay concept need to be continued. (ie) Rs.22050 + GP Rs.4200, contrarily taking minimum of pay in PB 2 and taking TA rate as Rs.210/-whereas the revised new TA rate (Rs.340/-) to determine the rate of Running Allowance as double will not meet ends of justice. If the new rates are allowed to continue, we will not get any compensation for the outstation stay while all others will enjoy.
The mean of pay of Loco Pilot (Pass) is {(9300 + 34800) / 2} + 4200 = Rs 26250/- The 30% pay element is Rs.7875/-.The national average killometerage of passenger link is 4700.So the average running allowance of Loco Pilot (Pass) is {(169*4700) / 100} = Rs.7943/- ie the TA component is 7943 – 7875 = Rs 68/- ?!!!.....
Similarly the pay element for a day is 7875/30 = Rs.262.50.ALK for LP(Pass) is Rs.270/-.He will get Rs.7.50 as TA when attending RC / Promotional course while all others with same grade pay will get Rs.340/- as TA. Very same ill fate is shared by ALPs in Passenger links. The ill fate of LPs and ALPs working in Goods need not be spoken. None of them will get their actual pay element even!! No arrears pay element from 01. 01. 06 to 31.08.08 will be paid to us. This will become a penalization for maintaining the higher medical standards and continue in the most tedious duty as the medically decategorised running staff will get the arrears.
Rather to correct the infirmities in the RAC 1980 formula, but abolishing the time tested formula which we got after waging continuous struggles on scientific revision of Running Allowance will pave the way for the loss of periodic revision and lead to include the Running Allowance system under PRIS (Performance Related Incentive Scheme as suggested by VI CPC).Let us not fall prey to evil design
This Association’s continuous and tireless efforts and struggles had drawn the attention of Ministry Of Railways to spell out to redress the grievance of Asst. Loco Pilots grade pay. Let us grab this opportunity to rigorously continue our agitation programs to achieve our following demands

1. Upgrade ALP grade pay to Rs.2800/-
2. Allow enhanced distinct GP for LPs
3. Extend additional allowance to all LPs and ALPs
4. Revise rate of Running Allowance as per RAC 1980 formula.
5. Appoint judicial review committee on HOER

Let us join hands and uphold unity of Loco Running men to achieve our righteous pay and allowances

Muster our strength to Regional Conventions and Rail Bhavan March on Feb.6th 2009
Forget who raised the injustice first or
Signed in agreements – Let us unite to fight out the injustice

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Times of India News- Motorman Strike

MUMBAI: The flash strike by motormen of Western Railway, which left thousands of suburban railway commuters stranded for over two hours, was finally

called off on Thursday night.

Suburban train services resumed shortly after 11 pm, after the strike was called off following discussions between motormen and railway officials, but not before angry commuters vented their ire, damaging property at some railway stations like Churchgate, Marine Lines and Andheri.

At Churchgate, hundreds of stranded commuters pulled down metal detectors and smashed glass panes of the booking office.

BEST operated additional services in view of the disruption of train services. Several commuters also opted for taxis to return home.

"Train services had come to a standstill at 9.20pm following the flash strike", Western Railway CPRO S S Gupta said. "The motormen gave a notice for hunger protest (strike) for today but there was no intimation about this strike", he said.

The motormen had refused to operate trains following the collapse of two of their colleagues during the day-long hunger strike. Over 300 motormen on the suburban line of the Western Railway (WR) participated in the agitation, demanding filling up of vacancies.

Around 9.20 pm, two motormen, apparently exhausted by the hunger strike, collapsed at Churchgate. Subsequently, other motormen stepped down from their duty following which all Up and Down train services were disrupted.
What Happens Actually
motor man of western railway went on ire and stopped the train service for 2.45 hours in peak hours, resulting in public anger.the motorman said that they were given notice one month before regarding an on duty hunger strike, but the DRM and the Sr.DEE(OP) neglected thier demands and not even permitted an elgible discussion. the demands were
1)crew link will be discussed with employees before implementation, not with the people of recoganised union, as these peoples blindly agreeing to administrations decission
2)Reduce average working KM / Day and make it less than CR or equivalent to them
3)Victimisation of motormans to be stopped immediately on silly and unwanted matters
4)one fellow victimised should be taken back without serious action
5)6th pay commission to be implemented in proper way as done in other places
6)demanding a grade pay of rs 4600/- to motormans
these demands were given one month before, and as per the programme motormen were working doiing hungerfast, and two of the members collapsed.even after that the adament & arrogant administration refused to talk constraining the motormans to take the deadly decision of stopping the train. and the drm & sr.dee(op) discussed with them agreeing the first five demands and recommending rly board to implement the 6th decision

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Releasing Of FIRE magazine

Releasing special issue of FIRE Magazine-official organ of AILRSA-
commemorating Com. SK Dhar was done

By Com. Basudeb Acharia MP,
Chairman, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways.
On 3rd Dec 2008, Wednesday, 16.00 hrs
at Hotel New Krishna Bhavan,
Sampige Road, Malleswaram, Bangalore.
The program was presided by Com. C. Sunish

The following were addressed the function

1. Com.L Mony, Central President,AILRSA.
2. Com.KAS Mani, Central Vice President, AILRSA.
3. Com. S. Prasannakumar, president, NREU.
4. Com. PS Prasad, General Secretary, COC.
5. Com. KV Raghavendra, Divisional Secretary, SWRMU.
6. Com. KN Rao, Vice President, NRMS.
7. Com. PAS Rao, Secretary, IRLRO.
8. Com. R. Surendran, Divisional Secretary, AILRSA.
9. Com. VJK Nair, All India Vice President CITU

Com. Saroj Kumar Dhar (SK Dhar), Secretary General All India Loco Running Staff Association is no more. Our grate beloved leader has demised on 15th September 2008 at All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) New Delhi.
He spent his entire life for the cause of Running Staff of Indian Railways in particular and for the entire national trade union movement in general. His demise is a loss for the working class movement. Different Trade union leaders like Com. MK Pandhe, Com. Basudeb Acharia, Com. Mohammed Amin, Com. Kaniai Banerjee, Com. MM Lawrance were given their write up about Com. Dhar. This special issue is a History of Railway trade union of India.Com. Dhar is the symbol of sacrifice. He died at the age of 75. He is surviving with wife, daughter and one son. He hails from Anara of West Bengal.

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Program of Action- in short

1. Observe 23rd Program of action decided by CWC

December as Demand day, wearing the demand badge, holding open meeting at every crew point.
2. A 36 hrs Hunger fast commencing from 10hrs. On 29th Dec’08 in front of all DRM’s Office.
3. Area wise Regional Convention

Kolkata- ER, SER, Metro : 17.01.09
Nagpur- SEC : 18.01.09
Mumbai- CR, WR : 19.01.09
Vijayawada- SCR : 21.01.09
Bangalore- SR, SWR : 23.01.09
Varanasi – NE, NC : 28.01.09
Ludhiyana- NR : 30.01.09

4. Mass rally and sit in Dharna before Rail Bhawan, NDLS on 06.02.2009

5. If our demands are not conceded we will enter into “Indefinite Strike” any day after 1st April 2009 duly issuing a strike notice as per ID Act.

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