Report by Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC) correspondent
After continued agitation by Loco Pilots (LPs) and Assistant Loco Pilots (ALPs) under the leadership of All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA), the Chennai High Court has directed the Chief Labour Commissioner (CLC), New Delhi, to conduct a fresh job analysis of the working conditions of LPs/ALPs of Indian Railways.
Currently, LPs/ALPs are classified under the “continuous category” of workers. Thus, LPs/ALPs do not have specified limits to their working hours per day and often have to work for 10 to 16 hours a day before completing their duty. AILRSA has long been demanding that LPs/ALPs should be classified under the “intensive category” due to the nature of their work. Intensive category workers have defined working hours per day not exceeding 6 hours normally and a maximum of 8 hours, with a weekly limit of 45 hours.
The CLC New Delhi has directed the Regional Labour Commissioner, Chennai, to conduct the necessary job analysis. Accordingly, AILRSA leadership and the General Manager of Southern Railways have been called for a joint meeting on 02.04.2024 for a fresh job analysis of LPs/ALPs.
This is a victory of the struggle waged by the LPs/ALPs of Indian Railways under the leadership of AILRSA against their inhuman working conditions.