Report by KEC Correspondent on the basis of information received from Shri Paras Kumar
A Meeting of the South Eastern Zone of the All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA) was held in Chakradharpur on Sunday, 3rd July, 2022. It was presided over by Shri P K Bose and Shri Tarun Bose. The Central General Secretary Com M N Prasad as well as the Zonal General Secretary Com S P Singh were also present. Members of the South Eastern (SE) Railway from Chakradharpur, Ranchi, Adra and Kharagpur Divisions attended this meeting.
The speakers denounced the anti-worker labour laws, privatization and corporatization. Com M N Prasad reminded those present that the loco running staff have been able to win several facilities on the strength of their struggles in the past. They have to be united and conscious now; otherwise they will lose whatever they have won. The loco running staff do not want the work to stop, but the Railway Board, by its intransigence may force them to go on a hunger strike in Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Though the Railway Minister had stopped all facilities in the name of the pandemic, the loco running staff held up the national interest and worked hard. 300 of the staff even lost their live! The government is attacking the workers like never before. It is selling off stations, trains as well as railway factories. The loco running staff also want to run high speed trains from 110 to 130 kilometers per hour. However before that the basic infrastructure of the railways need to be developed.
The following decisions were taken in the meeting:
- To launch a struggle every Monday from July 11.
- To organize a relay hunger fast in front of every lobby from July 31.
- To use various means of struggle like gate meetings, letters, posters, etc.
- To not work under pressure.
- To demand measures to prevent accidents.
- To demand basic facilities for lady running staff.
- To refuse to work beyond 9 hours.
The demands of the AILRSA are extremely just and deserve the support of all unions, within the railways and others!