Railway Loco Staff Protest for Better Working Conditions
Railway Loco staff of South Central Railways staged a hunger strike at various railway stations on Thursday. They were protesting to demand better working conditions, including fixed duty hours and proper rest periods.
The Loco Running Staff pointed out that most railway employees have an eight-hour duty shift. However, Loco Pilots are required to work for 11 hours at a stretch. Despite recommendations from high-power committees to reduce their duty hours for safety reasons, no action has been taken.
In reality, Loco Pilots, especially those operating goods trains, are often forced to work between 12 to 20 hours continuously. Additionally, they should be given a rest period of 40 hours four times a month, as per recommendations. However, this has not been implemented, leading to excessive work hours and risks to train safety.
Sainath, a Loco Pilot, expressed frustration, saying, “We have submitted several requests to railway officials to hire more pilots and implement an eight-hour duty rule. The main issue is the shortage of staff. Train services have increased significantly, but vacancies in Running Staff have not been filled. This has seriously affected our physical and mental health.”
Another Loco Running Staff member, Ramesh, urged officials to take action. He said, “We are requesting the authorities to fill the vacant posts of Loco Pilots. Working long hours is exhausting. Despite submitting multiple representations regarding our working hours, nothing has changed. We hope South Central Railway addresses our concerns soon.”
Jilani Basha, a member of the All India Loco Running Staff Association, highlighted their struggles. “For years, we have faced several restrictions from the railways. Despite multiple committee recommendations, no changes have been made. To protest against this, we have organized a 36-hour hunger strike,” he said.
The protesting staff hope that their demands will finally be heard and that necessary steps will be taken to improve their working conditions.
