Though railwaymen across the country had overwhelmingly voted in favour of a direct agitation during the ‘strike ballot’ held nationwide last month, the crucial decision on launching a general strike that could cripple railway operations is due to be taken at the meeting scheduled at Kota, Rajasthan, said N. Kanniah, general secretary of the Southern Railway Mazdoor Union (SRMU), which is affiliated to the All India Railwaymen’s Federation (AIRF).

The AIRF and the National Federation of Indian Railwaymen are the two parent trade unions representing an estimated 1.3 million railwaymen. The charter of demands include scrapping of the new pension scheme, filling up of vacancies, better working conditions for loco running staff and constitution of the Seventh Pay Commission.

Though the Railway Board had offered to negotiate on Railway-specific demands at meetings held over January 16 and 17 in Delhi, the AIRF leadership has taken the view that some of the key demands such as merger of DA with basic pay and guaranteed pension scheme in place of new pension scheme, could only be resolved by Government of India, Mr. Kanniah said. The union leadership feels that the Railway Ministry needs to facilitate negotiations with the Centre in order to avert the strike, he said.

It may be recalled that during the strike ballot, over 96 per cent of railwaymen in the country voted in favour of an indefinite general strike.

In the six divisions across Southern Railway, 86.8 per cent of railwaymen endorsed the strike plan.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com
[http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/decision-on-railwaymens-indefinite-strike-on-february-17/article5610493.ece]

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Railwaymen call off strike after board accepted their demands

AHMEDABAD: The strike call given by the National Federation of Indian Railwaymen and Western Railway Mazdoor Sangh was withdrawn till the December working committee meeting after the railway board recently accepted all the major demands of the unions.

On Tuesdays, the railways also accepted the last major demand for cadre restructuring. Vice -president of NFIR and WRMS J G Mahurkuar said that the unions were demanding implementation of recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission, cadre restructuring and also productivity-linked bonus for the 3.5 lakh employees.

Mahurkar said that recently the government announced accepting the pay commission suggestions and also declared 78 days productivity-linked bonus. He said that railwaymen had decided to go on a strike to press for their demand. “But since all major demands have been accepted, we have deferred the decision of strike till the committee meets again in December. For the time being we have called off the strike.”

He said that the cadre restructuring will benefit 3.5 lakh employees of the railways who would be promoted. He said that this was a long-pending demand and a committee was also. Finally on Tuesday, the government accepted the last demand. He further said that with the restructuring there would lead to increase in the number of vacancies for the higher cadre, while the same in lower cadre would decrease.

Source: TOI

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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF  RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED  QUESTION NO: 897
ANSWERED ON: 08.08.2013

STRIKE BY RAILWAY EMPLOYEES

897 .    Shri GURUDAS DAS GUPTA

R. THAMARAISELVAN
P. LINGAM
S. RAMASUBBU
Will the Minister of  RAILWAYS  be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the All India Railwaymen’s Federation and National Federation of Indian Railwaymen have threatened to go on an indefinite strike in case their demands are not met;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the reaction of the Railways thereto and the manner in which the Railways propose to address the situation so as to prevent such strike?
ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY)

(a) and (b): All India Railwaymen’s Federation (A.I.R.F.) and National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (N.F.I.R.) have made numerous demands. Some of the demands are setting up of VIIth Central Pay Commission, abolition of New Pension Scheme, merger of Dearness Allowance with Pay, filling up of all vacant posts, implementation of the report of Joint Committee for career growth of Track Maintainer, reduction in duty hours of staff. While A.I.R.F. have indicated that if their grievances are not resolved in a time bound programme, the Federation would be compelled to conduct strike ballot as a first step. N.F.I.R. have decided to give a time of four months to the Government for satisfactorily settling their demands failing which the Federation will be compelled to give call for ‘Indefinite Strike’ on Railways.

(c): Some of the demands like setting up of VIIth Central Pay Commission, abolition of New Pension Scheme, Merger of Dearness Allowance with Pay which are not within the purview of Ministry of Railways are being considered for referring to concerned Ministries/ Departments. In accordance with Government’s policy, other demands of the Federations are given due consideration within the framework of existing rules and financial constraints, and action as considered necessary is taken.

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