Loco running staff reiterate demands

BANGALORE: The All India Loco Running Staff Association, in its two-day meeting, that began in the city on Wednesday, concluded that they would place their demands in front of higher authorities. The association has been fighting for the reduction in their work timings since 1973, when they resorted to an all India strike for seven days.Though this strike brought the Indian Railways to a grinding halt then, it helped the association to put forward their demands.However, the association believes that although a committee was formed to solve their problems, nothing has changed till date.Bringing forward their demands yet again, the association members met in the city and raised a few pointers.“The Indian Railways have not kept their assurance and even to this day, the duty hours of the running staff are fixed at 13 hours. The Railway Minister in 1973 had given a written assurance of reducing the duty hours of running staff from unlimited hours to 10 hours of wheel movement. But most of the times, this rule just remains on paper,” pointed out D S Niranjan, President of All India Loco Running Staff Association.Further, their demands were that the Loco Running Staff be reclassified as intensive.The duty hours of mail/ express/passenger/motorman crews should be confined to 6 hours. The duty hours of the freight crew be 7 hours. They further urged that a weekly limit of 40 hours be set for loco running staff.“To ensure safe train working, there should be not more than two consecutive night shifts and an interval of two days in between should be ensured. We also urge that meal breaks and personal break time is allotted. This is because loco pilots who are in the age group of 55 years and above have acquired occupational illnesses like high blood pressure and diabetes and they currently have to work without a break for food or to attend nature’s calls, which is aggravating their illness,” said D Rajkumar, Secretary of the association.The association further concluded that the guidelines of the crew scheduling be evolved and the emergency and exemption clause be defined clearly.The association will again meet on May 17 to draw the two-day meeting to a close with a wholesome list of demands and a plan of action to make their demands heard.