The Joint Council of Action (JCA), South Zone, representing unions of Railways, Defence, Postal and other Central government departments organised a demonstration near the Chennai Collectorate stressing various demands including wage revision and prevention of privatisation. They submitted a memorandum containing over 37 demands to the Collector after the demonstration.
More than 1,000 members of various unions including the Southern Railway Mazdoor Union (SRMU), All India Defence Employees Federation (AIDEF) and National Federation of Postal Employees (NFPE) took part in the two-hour long demonstration that started at noon.
Among the various demands were: to effect the Central Government Wage Revision for employees from January 1, 2014; ensure wage revision for employees once in five years; ban privatisation, public private partnerships or foreign direct investments in railways and defence establishments and give up corporatisation of postal services.
They also wanted the government to avoid outsourcing of government activities and withdraw the move to close down the printing presses, publication forms store, stationery departments and medical stores depots. The Unions also wanted the government to improve the condition of railway hospitals.
N. Kanniah, general secretary, SRMU and the convener of JCA, South Zone mentioned that this was the first time the ‘defence’ unions were taking part in a protest in association with other Central government Unions.
C. Srikumar, general secretary, AIDEF, said only the Railways offers 100 percent appointment on compassionate grounds — the other Central government departments offer only 5 percent.
“Due to this, hardly one or two candidate obtain jobs under this category every year. We want the government to remove this slab,” he added.
Over 1,000 members staged protest, gave list of demands
