Press release on the eve of 3 day protest on the call of NJCA
PRESS RELEASE
New Delhi: 18th January, 2016 – “All India Railwaymen’s Federation is preparing for total shut- down with the Central Government under the banner of National Joint Council of Action”.
The above was stated by Shri Shiva Gopal Mishra, General Secretary of AIRF/NRMU and Convener of the NJCA in a Press Conference held today in AIRF Office, 4 State Entry Road, New Delhi.
Shri Mishra said that, the Central Government is not giving any priority to solve long pending demands of the Central Government employees. In spite of our sustained persuasions, to resolve of our demands of removal of retrograde recommendation of 7th CPC, payment of arrear of Productivity Linked Bonus, filling up of more than 2.5 lakhs vacancies of railway employees, indiscriminate outsourcing, handing over Production Units of Madherpura and Marohra of Electrical and Diesel Locomotive with assured off-take and thirteen years maintenance contracts to M/s Alstom and General Electric Companies, there is no headway on these issues. Outsourcing of maintenance of train-sets for thirteen years, amendment in the labour laws in favour of the corporate houses, non-creation of new posts for new assets, 100% FDI, PPP in the Railways, institution of the Railways Development Authority to promote privatization etc., have forced AIRF to join thirty six lakh Central Government employees for sustained struggle.
Shri Mishra further said that, AIRF cadre will join three days dharna at all state capitals and industrial centers from 19th to 21st January, 2016. All the affiliates of AIRF shall also conduct strike ballot on 11-12 February, 2016 to know the mood of the railway employees in favour of “Indefinite Strike”.
AIRF affiliates are also campaigning vigorously among the railwaymen to make the strike ballot and indefinite strike successful.
Northern Railwaymen’s Union is also going to launch a mass mobilization fortnight programme programme by contacting each and every railwayman from 25th January to 10th February, 2016.
Shri Mishra added that, the railwaymen are not responsible for economic crises in the Railways because they are running 22,000 pairs of trains round-the-clock, carrying 2.5 crors passengers everyday along entire length and breadth of the country, even by sacrificing their lives.
The Government of India should bear the burden of rupees twenty six thousand crore of subsidized traffic carried by the Railways and rupees twenty eight thousand crore being paid on railway pensioners. The Government should also stop charging Service Tax on the products of the Indian Railways and should also stop step motherly treatment and invest from the General Exchequer to improve upon the infrastructure of the Railways to support common man of this country. The Central Government should also wave off dividend to be paid by the Railways to the tune of around rupees ten thousand crore.
Shri Mishra said, we have kept this life line moving since 1974, but now, it has become difficult because of indifferent attitude of the Central Government. There has been no meeting of the National Council(JCM) for the last more than last five years, which should be at least thrice a year.
Shri Mishra said that, we don’t want to disturb the train service to create chaos in the country, but now we have no option, therefore, all the Central Government Employees Organization, including Railways, Postal, Ordinance Factories and other Civilian, Defense Establishment, other Central Government employees have decided to go on “Indefinite Strike”, if their demands are not resolved by end of February 2016.
He appealed to all the Central Government employees, including the railwayemen to join all the programmes en masse on the call of the NJCA.
For General Secretary
source:NRMU