On 16th March 2024, Central Railway Trackmaintainer Union (CRTU) held their 6th annual convention in Mumbai. More than 100 office bearers from all over Maharashtra participated in the meeting.
The annual convention was followed by an open session. A notable feature of this session was that representatives from All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA), All India Station Masters Association (AISMA), All India Guards Council (AIGC), All India SCST Association (AISCSTA), Association of Railway Nurses of India (ARNI), All India Railway Track Maintainers Union Western Zone, and Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC) were invited. This showed the spirit of unity which all the Indian Railway workers are looking forward to. The open session was presided over by Sushant Zhodape, President of CRTU, Ram Naresh Paswan, General Secretary of CRTU and National President of AIRTU and Comrade D. Ramesh.
Many office bearers of CRTU from various zones passionately described the extremely tough and inhuman working environments that the track maintainers have to put up with. Both the President and General Secretary of CRTU very passionately declared their members’ resolve to fight against every injustice and in defense of their rights.
Representatives of various sections of railway workers not only saluted the track maintainers for the heroic role they play in ensuring the safety of the Indian Railways but also assured them full support from their organizations. The General Secretary thanked all the representatives and expressed an urgent need to collaborate with each other in their common fight for their rights as workers. The open session was interspersed with sloganeering expressing the unity of railway workers and working class in general.
The KEC representative explained that the struggle of track maintainers is a part of the struggle of not only other workers of Indian railways but the entire working class of our country. It is a struggle for securing a life befitting the wealth creators of our country. It is a struggle to establish the rule of the working class. He reminded the participants of the heroic role played by Russian railway workers in the socialist revolution of 1917.
The meeting ended on a very positive note.
Before the open session, CRTU office bearers deliberated on the report presented by their General Secretary and the tasks ahead.
The General Secretary’s report highlighted the following major tasks:
- Oppose privatization of Indian Railways in any form
- Demand filling of all vacancies
- Fight for entry of Track Maintainers through LDCE route
- Oppose NPS
- Fight for Rakshak devices for Track Maintainers’ safety
- Fight for 8-hour duty including lunch time for Track Maintainers
- Fight for Risk allowance, Dress allowance, more promotional avenues, etc.