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Railway staff threaten strike

A two-day referendum to be conducted from Friday; about 14 lakh em­pl­oyees to participate.

Chennai: All Indian Rail­way­men’s Federation (AIR­F) has threatened to go on indefinite strike in a couple of months if the ministry fails to accept its 36-point charter of demands including 20 per cent reservation in jobs for children of rai­l­way employees.

A two-day referendum will be conducted from Friday (December 20). About 14 lakh em­pl­oyees will participate in the ‘strike ballot’.

As many as 1,000 boxes ha­ve been placed at different locations within So­u­thern Railway (SR) zone alone, AIRF working president N. Kan­niah told mediaperson after leading an hour-long demonstration in front of the divisional manager’s officer here.

AIRF, which is an umbrella organisation of several railway wor­kers trade unions, will require at least 80 per cent of the employees participating in the strike ballot and two-third of them voting in favour of the strike.

Asked about the government obliging and announcing 7th Pay Commission, Kan­niah said the pay panel was one of their dem­ands accepted by the government and 36 m­ore remain unfulfilled.

Their demands incl­ude sorting out the an­o­malies in 6th pay commission recommendations, increasing the bonus ceiling, fill vac­ancies in tune with the new trains and routes announced and operated and merger of grade pay of Rs 2,400 and Rs 2,800 for all categories of rai­l­way employees.

“If we struck work for 26 days in 1974 when the Congress go­v­e­rnment at the Centre enjoyed brute majority, why cannot we do it now?” Kannaiah said adding that AIRF was not affiliated to any political party and most of the railway unions have supported their strike call.

All India Loco Run­n­ing Staff Association was among the first to ex­t­end support to AI­RF’s strike call to press for their demands.

( Source : dc )
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