Railwaymen’s
Struggle
Rakhal
Das Gupta
Asstt.
General Secretary/AIRF
Formed in 1924, All India Railwaymen’s Federation(AIRF) pioneered all
the struggles of Railwaymen to secure justice and fair play. After the Second
World War, retrenchment notices were issued on thousands of Railwaymen. The AIRF
called for an indefinite strike from 27th June, 1946. The Railway
Administration was compelled to withdraw all the retrenchment notices and the
strike was averted.
After
series of agitational programmes, Second Central Pay Commission(CPC) was
appointed on 21.8.1957 and submitted its report on 24.2.1959. The report was
totally rejected by the Railwaymen. Railwaymen and other Central Government
employees formed Joint Council of Action(JCA) with Com. Peter Alvares as
Convener and submitted Charter of Demands which included Need Based Minimum
Wage, 100% neutralisation in the cost of living etc. Prime Minister, Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru refused to negotiate with JCA.
The Government promulgated Essential Services Maintenance Ordinance(ESMO),
banning strike in all Central Government establishments. Lakhs of Railwaymen
joined the strike from the midnight of July 11, 1960, despite wanton police
oppression. Territorial Army was pressed in to services in the Railways.
Unfortunately the Strike could not last long in various departments except the
Railways and P&T. In the morning of July 12, police opened fire on the
striking employees at Dahod(Western Railway). 5 persons were killed. Thousands
of Central Government employees, including Peter Alvares, S.M. Joshi, Nath Pai,
Priya Gupta and others were arrested. Thousands of Central Government employees
were suspended and dismissed/discharged from services. Lakhs of Railwaymen
suffered break-in-services. The recognition of AIRF and its affiliated unions
were withdrawn. But ultimately recognition of AIRF and its affiliated unions
were restored and victimisation was withdrawn gradually. The Government had to
face the striking leaders inside the Parliament, when the Parliament assembled
in the next month – August. Com. Nath Pai, M.P., leader of the striking
employees gave a befitting reply to Pandit Nehru when he criticised the striking
employees. Ultimately, the Government could feel that a Comprehensive Machinery
should be made available for resolving grievances of the Central Government
employees and the JCM Scheme was mooted by the Government and ultimately the
scheme was accepted by the Staff Side after years of deliberations and
refinement.
According to JCM Scheme, the issues of pay and allowances, leave and
hours of work are compulsorily arbitable. After formation of Joint Consultative
Machinery(JCM), the Staff Side placed the demand of Need Based Minimum Wage as
per the recommendation of 15th Tripartite Labour Conference(1957) and
100 percent neutralisation in the rise in price index in the shape of Dearness
Allowance(DA). The Government refused to concede the demands and simultaneously
refused to refer the issues to arbitration as per the JCM Scheme. This left the
Railwaymen and other Central Government employees no other alternative but to
revive the JCA and to issue notice for `One Day Token Strike’ on
September 19, 1968. As usual the Government promulgated ESMO and declared the
strike illegal, amended Indian Railways Act, to combat its own employees,
arrested thousands of Railwaymen and other Central Government employees.
Com. Priya Gupta and many other leaders were arrested. On September 19, police opened fire at different placed and killed 8 Railwaymen at Bongaigaon, Mariani in N.F. Railway and Pathankot and Bikaner in Northern Railway. One CPWI employee was beaten to death in Indraprastha Bhawan at New Delhi, 48,000 temporary employees were removed from the services for simple participation. Thousands of other Central Government employees were suspended/removed/dismissed and break-in-services were imposed on lakhs of Railwaymen.
Com. J.P. Chaubey, O.P. Gupta and some other leaders went on indefinite
fast, demanding reinstatement of all these employees. Com. S.M. Joshi, Priya
Gupta, S.M. Banerjee and other leaders led a historic demonstration before the
residence of Smt. Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister. Ultimately, the
Government agreed to reinstate all the 48,000 temporary employees. Again, the
recognition of AIRF and its affiliated unions were withdrawn. But ultimately
they were restored and victimisation was vacated.
Third CPC published its report on 31.3.1973. The report was totally
rejected by the Railwaymen. All the Railway unions except the INTUC, affiliated
to NFIR, formed National Co-ordination Committee for Railwaymen’s
Struggle(NCCRS). Charter of Demands was submitted to the Minister of Railways
through Strike Notice, served by all the Zonal Railways affiliated to AIRF on
April 18, 1974. Negotiation with the Railway Minister started and continued up
to April 30. The negotiation was to resume on May 2. But on the dead night of 1st
May, police arrested leaders of NCCRS. Com. V.R. Malgi, the General Secretary,
National Railway Mazdoor Union(Central Railway) died in police custody in Bombay
on the same night. The strike started on May 2, in many places, well ahead of
its scheduled date – the 8th May. Police arrested about one lakh
Railwaymen including their family members. More than 35,000 Railwaymen were
dismissed/discharged/suspended. Strike was withdrawn on May 27. Internal
Emergency was promulgated on the midnight of June 25, 1975, stating two reasons
– `J.P. movement and May 74 Strike of Railway Employees’. Railway
Minister, Kamlapati Tripathi told the Federation leadership to forget
reinstatement of the rest about five thousand employees. But, the leadership
replied back appropriately. Internal Emergency was withdrawn in January 1977 and
General Election was held in March, 1977. Congress was humbled in the husting.
Janata Government under the leadership of Morarjee Bhai Desai was installed on
March 23. Shri Madhu Dandavate, while presenting the Interim Railway Budget on
March 28, declared that all dismissed/removed/suspended employees would be
reinstated in services unconditionally and all panel actions would be set right.
The Railway Ministry issued order on April 6, putting a target date of April 30
to complete the whole process of reinstatement, re-transfer and cancellation of
all punishment. Subsequently the period of strike was regularised as leave due.
Leave encashment, commutation without medical examination, 50% of 10
months average pay as pension, treatment of portion of D.A. as pay for
retirement benefit, exemption of contribution of 2 months pay for Family
Pension, process of de-casualisation, re-structuring of cadre etc. orders were
issued by the Government. But the issue of Bonus could not be resolved. AIRF
conducted Strike Ballot and the Working Committee met in November, 1979 to fix
up the date of Strike. But good sense prevailed the details of PLB was agreed
upon in the meeting with the Prime Minister on November 13, 1979. The pay
ceiling was denying PLB to a major section of Railwaymen and after protracted
struggle, the pay ceiling for eligibility of PLB was agreed to be withdrawn on
October 17, 1996 during Deve Gauda regime.
The Fourth CPC was set up on 1.9.1983 after hard struggle by AIRF and other
Central Government employees organisations. IV CPC granted 100 per cent
neutralisation in the cost of living index in the shape of D.A. for all Group
`C’ employees and also revised the pay scales, and other allowances.
The Vth CPC was
set up, after constant movement, on 9th April, 1994. The Commission
submitted its report to the Government on 30.1.1997. The report had done more
injustice than justice. All attempts to get justice failed. The Staff Side, NC/JCM
ultimately decided to issue strike notice and the notices were issued by all the
AIRF’s affiliated unions on September 4, 1997. The Government called for
negotiation and negotiation started from September 6. Seven Central Cabinet
Ministers along with Shri Madhu Dandavate, Dy. Chairman, Planning Commission
participated in the negotiation with the Standing Committee of Staff Side, NC/JCM.
Com. Umraomal Purohit, J.P. Chaubey, Sujit Roy and the writer participated in
the discussion on behalf of the AIRF. Ultimately agreement was reached on the
midnight of September 10 and the Strike was averted.
AIRF is always keen to have negotiated settlement. But stubborn attitude
of the Government had compelled the Railwaymen to launch Strikes of 1960, 1968
and 1974. But the situation could be averted when the Government honestly
negotiate and settle in 1979 and 1997.
------------------------------