Kerala - Kochi   

Railway employees on the warpath

KOCHI: Unfilled vacancies resulting in overwork and subsequent toll on safety of trains, 24-hour shifts, no weekly offs, severe restrictions on taking leave – these are just a few of the alleged ‘human rights violations’ that have been taking place in the Railways during the past few years, going by the version of employees and a section of trade unions.

Annoyed at what they called the indifference of the management, the staff plan to highlight their woes at the referendum to be held in the department in 2008. This will provide them an opportunity to select their choice (by secret ballot) of trade unions for official recognition, from the numerous ones in existence in the Railways.

T. Mohandas, Thiruvananthapuram Divisional secretary of the All India Station Master’s Association, said that station masters were the worst affected by the staff shortage.

“Forty eight station master posts are remaining unfilled in the division for the past many years. There are 26 vacancies in the Palakkad Division. This forces the existing staff to carry out the duties of the posts to be filled. The Ministry has not paid heed to our grievances, despite station masters playing the crucial role of coordinating and ensuring that trains ply smoothly and safely.”

“We are unable to handle the job pressure despite our best efforts. This is in addition to the denial of leave, even for urgent family needs. Altogether, there is shortage of 1,500 employees in various wings in the Thiruvananthapuram Division alone. This despite the fact that rail lines are running to 138 per cent capacity,” said Mr. Mohandas.

Railway stations which used to have four or more station masters now depend on two. Workers in all sections have been considerably reduced, forcing the existing ones to carry out multiple duties. “We often work for 24 hours in a stretch for want of replacement, but no overtime remuneration is given. We have to apply to the overtime-control cell in Thiruvananthapuram even for weekly off. One has to literally beg before the officer concerned for getting leave,” said an employee in one of the railway stations in Ernakulam.

A senior Railway official admitted that some employees were not in a position to take their weekly off. “Loco staff of goods trains too have some problems. We have downsized the number of ministerial staff. The necessity of more hands in the safety and operational wings has not been felt so far. Unscrupulous elements in some trade unions have been disrupting the smooth functioning of the Thiruvananthapuram Division,” he alleged.

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