Report by Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC) correspondent
The All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA) successfully organised the 21st Central Railway Zonal BEGM on 10/06/2024 at Kalyan, Mumbai. Loco Pilots from all five divisions of Central Railway participated with great enthusiasm and formed the new executive of AILRSA Central Railway. In this meeting many organizational decisions and resolutions were passed on the problems of the loco pilots.
The Secretary General of AILRSA, Comrade K C James and Central President Comrade Ram Sharan were the Chief Guests. Dr. A. Mathew, Secretary, Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC), Comrade Ramesh Babu, Convenor, National Coordination Committee of Railway Contract Workers Unions (CITU), Comrade Ram Naresh Paswan, President, All India Railway Track Maintainers Union (AIRTU) and Shi A.K. Dubey, President, Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh (CRMS) were invited as Guests and addressed the meeting. Comrade D S Koparkar was elected as the Central Railway Zonal Secretary of AILRSA and Comrade MK Tripathi was elected as the Zonal President.
Dr. Mathew, in his speech hailed the struggles being waged by loco pilots all over India and led by AILRSA for the right to live and work as human beings and for safe running of trains. He said the loco pilots of Southern Railway have been on agitation from June 1st, 2024 to claim their right to periodical rest of 46 hours every week, refusing to work more than 10 hours a day, refusing to work more than two consecutive nights a week, and demanding to be returned to Head Quarters within 48 hours. The Railway Administration is trying to crush the struggles of the loco pilots by issuing chargesheets and transfers. However, the loco pilots are carrying on their struggle undaunted.
He also hailed the united action by loco pilots of Mumbai Division, Central Railway on May 9th 2024, which completely paralysed goods train movement at Kalyan for seven hours. They were protesting against the unsafe order for movement of goods trains and the suspension of an assistant loco pilot (ALP) for refusing to follow the order. The suspension had to be revoked and the unsafe order withdrawn.
He said there were many such struggles being waged in different parts of the country by the loco pilots and their united action has forced the authorities to concede their demands.
He reminded the loco pilots of the heroic all India strike led by AILRSA in 1973, which forced the then Labour Minister, Government of India to announce in the Lok Sabha in August 1973 that hence forth loco pilots would not have to work for more than 10 hours a day. But even after 50 years this announcement has not been implemented by the Railway Board.
He also hailed the historic railway strike of 1974 which completely paralysed the railway movement for 20 days. He said the workers of railways were protesting their low wages and for abolition of casual labour. But the Central Government led by the Congress Party in coordination with state Governments all over India brutally crushed the strike. This showed that this democracy is not for the workers. He also said that two years back we saw how the BJP led Central Government brutally attacked the farmers on the borders of Delhi who were protesting against farm laws that were made to favour big capitalist monopolies. So irrespective of which party is in power, the Central Government and the state machinery works to protect the interests of the big monopoly capitalists.
Dr. Mathew said we have to learn valuable lessons from this strike, namely that the rail workers showed that they could unite under the banner of National Coordination Committee of Railwaymen’s Struggle (NCCRS). He said the NCCRS which was formed in 1974 was an organisation for struggle. He called upon all rail workers to build the NCCRS committees at every branch, division and zonal level to prepare for united struggle. He said even after 50 years of the historic strike, the rail workers are facing very harsh working conditions, and this includes loco pilots, train managers, station masters, track maintainers and signal and telecommunications maintainers. A united struggle is essential today as it was 50 years ago. Dr. Mathew’s speech was received with applause from the Loco Pilots.
The BEGM resolved the following in regard to the specific problems of the loco pilots:
a) Strong agitation for upgradation of pay level of ALP in comparison to qualification, medical standards, professional efficiency, productivity, responsibilities and risk, which is pending for the last 14 years.
b) Agitation for correct rate of kilometer as per RAC 1980 formula. And further amendment in kilometer allowance at par with revised rate of TA.
c) Demand for increasing the exemption limit on kilometer allowance under the prescribed section of Income Tax Act.
d) Agitation against pay level discrimination due to subordinate post getting higher pay level than the highest post of loco running staff i.e. Loco Pilot Mail (LPM).
e) Demand for pay level 10 for LPM who are working on Mail Express trains running at speeds above 110 Kmph, as Railway Board is planning to increase the present speed to 130 Kmph and beyond 130 Kmph.
f) Agitation for air conditioning of loco cabs.
g) Agitation against long hours of duty, against denial of adequate weekly rest.
i) Agitation against running trains without train managers.
j) Agitation on the matter of clear guidelines in the matter of train safety in multiple line sections.
k) Agitation for proper facilities as per Basic Amenities Act for women and men at work place.
l) Movement against imposing harsh penalties in case of Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD) where there is no damage to railway property and also need to ask the Railway Board that in case of SPAD, psychological analysis of employees with the help of psychometric evaluation process should be included in the investigation process.
k) Movement for recognition of our organization needs to be taken to the judiciary in case our recognition application is not allowed by the Railway Administration.
l) Stop forcing ALPs to carry Fog Safety Devises (FSD). Administration needs to make arrangements for loading and unloading of FSD on locos.
j) Fill up the vacancies and arrange for 30% sick leave quota with trainee reserve in loco running staff.
k) A united movement against the dictatorial powers promoting increasing workload and inhuman working attitude towards the loco running staff.