Hyderabad: Dharna staged against SCR's anti-working class attitude

Hyderabad: The members of South Central Railway Mazdoor Union (SCRMU) on Wednesday staged a dharna in front of the Divisional Manager office, Secunderabad against the anti-working class attitude being shown by the South Central Railway, especially towards the Loco and Traffic Running Staff. Around 300 protesters demanded immediate renewal of night duty allowance, promotion of staff and removal of CCTV cameras from railway cabs.

The dharna was organised in front of all the Divisional Railway Managers offices across SCR that include Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Guntur, Guntakal and Nanded divisions.

Protesters pointed out that after 2016 the night duty allowance was stopped and the installation of CCTV cameras in railway cabs is giving hardship to rail drivers. Apart from this for many years, the Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP) staff have not been promoted and the handicapped sections at railways are deprived of not getting an allowance.

They demanded to renew all the lobbies with standard design.

It will be better if SCR constructs apartments for running staff at all depots and give basic facilities to the lady running staff. They should also sanction new scales for every promotion avenue.

Also Signal passed at danger (SPAD) staff who are eligible for reinstatement should be immediately be given and pilot crew in trains should be allotted nominated berths.

Sankara Rao, General Secretary, SCRM said, "We demand justice in the matter of payment of night duty allowance to the Loco and Traffic Running Staff irrespective of their Grade Pay and stoppage of victimisation of running staff on flimsy grounds and immediate withdrawal of anti-working-class measures taken by the government of India and ministry of railways."

K Srinivas, President, SCRMU, said, "the instructions given by the ministry of railways which are detrimental to the interest of the running staff on railways should be withdrawn immediately.

The SCR should also give performa basic on erroneous promotion and also remove CCTV cameras from railway cabs."