EDITORIAL
Deadlock at Apex Level
Dear Comrades,
Departmental Council JCM is the highest forum of negotiation where both the federations jointly negotiate the issues at Railway Board level. This meeting was fixed after a long gap on 7th & 8th March 2017, but could not progress and went into deadlock due to non-withdrawal of Railway Board’s letter dated 30 January, 2017, wherein they have instructed that Safety Category Supervisors, working in Grade Pay 4200 and 4600 can become member of the union but not the union office bearers after 31st March, 2017. The dialogues, held so far between two federations and Railway Board had not been fruitful in spite of the assurance from the top of the Railway Ministry.
During DC/JCM meeting the Staff Side raised this issue vehemently and accessed railway board for interfering in the internal affairs of union and termed this action as brutal murder of the democratic trade union rights.
The Railway Board are also not implementing many issues where agreement reached as well as has kept large number issues pending since long. Particularly issues of 4800 GP to Sr. Supervisors, 10:20:50 ratio to trackmen, 7,9 benchmark for MACP, filling of the vacancies etc. The Railway Board had issued their orders without any homework, because now they have started collecting numbers of safety category office bearers from Zonal Railways. They had surpassed all the rules and legal norms and issued the orders in violation of Indian Trade Union Act, 1926 as well as against violation of Fundamental Rights, which has provided us the Right of Association which cannot be violated by any executive order as per transaction of business rules. The Railway Board order has jeopardized the industrial peace prevalent over, the Indian Railways since last four decades.
Looking onslaught on trade union rights, the federations had decided to fight it out, and now the ball is in the court of the MR and Railway Ministry. The Railwaymen have decided to face challenge, thrown by Railway Board, by organizing massive agitation on 16th March, 2017 at branch level, 23rd March at divisional level and 30th March, 2017 at zonal levels. Let’s also be prepared for direct action if issues remained unresolved.
E-magazine AIRF March 2017 has been uploaded below:-
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