48-hr hunger strike by loco pilots begins in Hubballi

Scores of loco pilots and assistant loco pilots began a 48-hour hunger strike in Hubballi on Tuesday in response to a call for a nation-wide strike from December 2 to 4.

All India Loco Running Staff Association had given the call for the 48-hour hunger strike in protest against the reported continued apathy and neglect of the administration towards what they called as just and legitimate grievances of loco running staff.

The main grouse of the loco running staff is that despite them taking every precaution to ensure safety of millions of railway passengers every day, their rightful demands remain unheard and that too, after repeated representations, delegations and discussions, seeking redressal of their genuine and long-pending grievances.

At the hunger strike which began in front of the office of the Divisional Railway Manager of Hubballi Division, scores of leaders highlighted the problems of the loco running staff.

Division Secretary of All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA) T. Sabu, Central Vice-President of AILRSA C. Sunish, Division Secretary of SWRMU Kumaravelu and office-bearers, including Rajendra Singh, Manavendra Ojha, Mahesh Pattar, Yamuna Gaunger, Praveen Kumar, Rajnish Kumar, and others addressed the protestors and condemned in strong terms the apathetic attitude of the authorities and the government towards their grievances.

The speakers highlighted the hardships being faced by the loco running staff and said that they are deprived of the daily rest of 16 hours along with the weekly rest of 30 hours. Violating rules, they are made to work for 12 hours continuously, forced to work for four continuous night shifts, they said.

They also said that their workload has further increased by shifting the duties of train examiners, engineering staff, traffic staff (like GLP check, hand brake during stabling by assistant local pilots, etc.) and also the burden of equipment failures.

The present working atmosphere has become deplorable owing to a five-year-long ban on recruitment and the consequential ever high vacancies. Every loco pilot is being forced to work 20% extra because of the vacancies and consequently, they are under tremendous pressure of addressing the personal/ familial needs, which is more dangerous to the safety of Indian Railways, they said.

They urged the authorities to consider their rightful demands and take steps to fulfil them at the earliest.