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The Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), largest trade union in Indian Railways, plans an indefinite strike of railway workers in November to protest Narendra Modi government’s labour law reforms and allowing foreign direct investment (FDI) in railways.
The last general strike by railway workers was in May 1974, which had lasted 20 days and was brutally suppressed by the Indira Gandhi led Congress government at the Centre, arresting thousands of workers under the draconian Maintenance of Internal Security Act or MISA.
The tentative date fixed for the railways strike is November 23, and other central trade unions, including the Sangh affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) will support the strike. On May 26, all the central trade unions, including the BMS as also HMS, had decided to observe a strike of workers in other sectors on September 2. According to sources, the November strike will be taken up only if the government continues to refuse to listen to the trade unions.
HMS General Secretary Harbhajan Singh Sidhu said the government’s labour law amendments will be a blow to the interests of workers as they won’t be able to form unions, any strike or protest will be termed illegal and workers penalised. “Keeping in mind dilution of labour laws and liberalisation of FDI in railways in addition to our 34 other demands, we have decided to call the strike across India,” Sidhu said.
HMS and other trade unions feel the government hasn’t been serious in heeding their demands and therefore a series of strikes are required to show the government their strength on the ground.
HMS is against amendments to the Industrial Disputes Act and Centre’s plan to allow 100 per cent FDI in railways. Sidhu said allowing FDI will lead to complete control of private parties over railway management and insisted the decision be rolled back. HMS’s 34-point charter of demands include removing alleged anomalies in Sixth Pay Commission and imposing ban on outsourcing regular works on contract like track maintenance and recruiting personnel.
Sidhu said employees from departments of defence, postal services, coal, civil aviation, port and dock, income and sales tax too will join the railway men in the strike. “There has been no strike in Indian Railways after 1974. Whenever we announced battles, the government of the day did accept our demands. But the government is being unjust to workers leading to our decision to go on strike,” Sidhu said.
OFF TRACK
- The Hind Mazdoor Sabha is planning a strike to protest the labour law reforms and foreign direct investment in railways
- The last general strike by railway workers was in May 1974
- The tentative date fixed for the railways strike is November 23
