Editorial November 2015

     EDITORIAL                                       NOVEMBER, 2015.

CHIEF EDITOR                                                                                     

 THOTA HANUMAIAH                                                                                                                                                                

 

AILRSA ON AGITATION PATH

LOCOMEN !  MARCH ENMASSE TO RAIL BHAVAN, NEW DELHI

FOR 36 HOURS HUNGER STRIKE FROM 10 am ON 14-11-2015

TO DISPLAY YOUR DETERMINED URGE,

UNITY AND STRENGTH BEHIND YOUR DEMANDS.

 

The AILRSA is staging hunger strike for 36 hours, before Rail Bhavan, New Delhi, from 14^th December, 2015 demanding implementation of the recommendations of various committees constituted by Ministry of railways viz; High power committee on hours of employment regulations, High level safety review committee, Justice Khanna committee and the minutes of Railway Board meeting in the matter of signal passing at danger (SPAD).

These recommendations and minutes of meeting are pertaining to the amelioration of inhuman working conditions and service conditions of LOCO PILOTS of Indian Railways and against imposition of severe penalty of removal from service on loco pilots, even for a simple lapse of SIGNAL PASSING AT DANGER, (SPAD), even though such lapses has not resulted in any accident or other consequences, effecting the safety of the trains.

At Present the loco men were subjected to * unpredictable long hours of duty,* six consecutive night duties in a week, *inadequate  rest  at head quarters and out station which is too meager  to overcome the fatigue sustained during the preceding trip of tedious working and for recharging the biological system of body, *uncertain and inadequate weekly rest,* out station  working  for 3 to 4 days at a stretch with out allowing them to come to head quarters,* deprival of family and social life,* poor resting facilities in running rooms at out station, * working from unergonomic  loco cabins etc;

The cumulative effect of these factors cause severe fatigue and results in enhancing  the chances of human errors, particularly in the present day  working of trains which are running in close proximity demanding greater alertness comparatively with the past. These factors have taken a toll of throwing out 270 loco pilots from service for simple lapse of passing signal at danger. This toll of loco men could have been avoided had the Government provided humane working conditions to the loco pilots, by allocating a small fraction of amount from the funds spent in the name of implementing the modern technology in Railways. It is pertinent to mention here the observations of Justice Khanna Committee, for proper appreciation.  

“The Railway Safety Review Committee (Khanna Committee) has commended that “Indian Railways is still one of the most efficiently run organization in the country with a work force that has been the embodiment of relentless hard work and dedication”.

For most of the railway men running trains efficiently and safely has been a passion, vision or a religion, to the extent of being ‘fanatic’ railway operators.  If they face a major disaster/ accident in their life time, it leaves an indelible scar on their psyche and they carried it with repentance and remorse for all the time to come.  Necessary lessons are learnt, imbibed and transmitted to the next generation.  Human lapses or railway staff failure are to be considered as an unintended mistake.  

Some of the recommendations of the high power committee are; Restriction of duty hours at a stretch by limiting to 11+01 hours; Solid 16 hours rest at head quarters and 08 hours rest at out station irrespective of the duty performed in the preceding trips; Two consecutive night duties with a rider that the duty on Third night should be a return journey; AC Running rooms with three to four star facilities and Subsidized meals. Though these recommendations are not meeting the demands of loco men to the extent they are required, none the less, they provide some limited relief. Even to this extent of limited relief the administration is not forth coming to implement these recommendations.  

The loco men are the prime motive force responsible for keeping the Railway trains running round the cloak against all vagaries of weather with utmost safety and punctuality. In the process they risk their health and life, besides forgoing family and social life. Being aggrieved by the railway administration’s apathy, the loco men resolved to express their anguish and discontentment by staging HUNGER STRIKE before the Rail Bhavan, Ministry of Railways, New Delhi for 36 hours commencing from 14^th December 2015, seeking implementation of recommendations of the High Power Committee duly conceding the suggestions made by AILRSA on Duty hours and working conditions of Running Staff of Indian Railways and the other grievances.

It is high time that the Ministry of Railways, being a department of Government of India should come forward as a model employer and concede the demands of Loco Men by reaching a negotiated settlement with their union, ALL INDIA LOCO RUNNING STAFF ASSOCIATION to establish harmonious Industrial relations in Indian Railways. .

 

THOTA HANUMAIAH