Report received from Com. K. C. James, Secretary General, All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA)
Railway trade unions have organised commemoration programmes in the Golden jubilee year of the historical railway strike of 1974, with mass participation in Kerala region. The call for such a programme was given by Dakshin Railway Employees Union (DREU), affiliated to CITU. They organised a mass programme on 8th May at Golden Rock, Trichy, where 5 railway men were shot dead by British army during 1946 strike.
Responding to the call, commemoration programmes were organized jointly by DREU, AILRSA, All India Station Masters Association (AISMA), All India Guards Council (AIGC), Indian Railway Ticket Checking Staff Organization (IRTCSO), at Quilon (Kollam), Ernakulam, Shoranur, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Kannur and Mangalore (Karnataka). The warriors of the historical strike were honoured on the dais and they shared their experiences during the strike. Senior trade union leaders spoke on the importance of agitations and strikes in safe guarding the rights of workers and the need of determined efforts to forge unity among the trade unions. The sharing of experiences of strike by veterans portrayed the warmth of the trade union fraternity and the support they got from the political parties and public in general. Mass demonstrations and public meetings were organised by the trade unions in the local area every day in support of the strike. They started common kitchen for the starving family members in railway colonies. Since the all strikers were under the threat of police arrest, they had to abandon their families and to hide somewhere to avoid arrest and remand. That situation was taken as an opportunity by antisocial elements and thieves. To safeguard the families of the strikers, volunteer groups were formed to guard the colonies day and night. The contribution of Com. AKG in encouraging the strikers and preventing the police onslaughts were praised by all those shared their experiences in all meetings. In nutshell, the programmes were a trade union class on building unity to intensify agitations against deterioration of the working conditions and erosion of real wages of railwaymen they had earned through the 1974 strike.
Kollam
Commemoration programme was held at Kollam on 21st May. Com. J. Mercikkutty Amma, Secretary, CITU Central committee and Ex Kerala Minister inaugurated. 27 Railway employees took part in the strike were honoured in the meeting.
Ernakulam
Programme was held at Railway community Hall on 24th May. Com. K.Chandran Pillai, Secretary CITU and Ex MP, inaugurated, Com. N.N. Krishnadas Ex. M P delivered the key- note address. Com. K.C James Secretary General of AILRSA attended. 15 veterans were honoured on dais.
Palakkad
Programme was held at Co- Operative College auditorium on 27th May. Com RG Pillai, then joint convenor of NCCRS inaugurated, Com. P. Vijayakumar, then joint convenor of NCCRS at Ernakulam delivered keynote address. 15 veterans were honoured.
Shoranur
Commemoration programme was held on 28th May at the Co-Operative Bank hall. Local MLA Com. Mammikkutty inaugurated. Com. R.G. Pillai delivered the keynote address. 17 veterans were honoured.
Kozhikode
23 veterans were honoured in the meeting held at CITU office hall on 21st May. Meeting was inaugurated by Com. Suresh, District Secretary CITU. Com. V.A.N Namboothiri delivered the keynote address. Com. Sunilkumar, Central President of AISMA attended. 13 veterans were honoured
Kannur
Programme was held on 21st May was inaugurated by Com. Manoharan district Secretary, Kannur. Com K Asokan, District Secretary of CITU and a participant in railway strike delivered key note address. 7 veterans were honoured.
Mangalore
Commemoration programme was held along with the general body meeting of DREU branch.