Members of the Nairutya Railway Mazdoor Sangh (South Western Railway Mazdoor Sangh), Mysore division, staged a protest here on Wednesday in support of their demands.
The protesters sought the immediate merger of 50 per cent dearness allowance with basic pay and the increase of interest on provident fund to 13.5 per cent.
They called for an end to outsourcing and the contract labour system. The Railways should initiate safety-related retirement schemes for all employees, irrespective of grade or pay, they said.
Eight-hour shifts
The employees urged the Railways to fill vacancies and introduce eight-hour shifts for all yard staff. The night patrol allowance for trackmen should be raised from Rs. 6 to Rs. 30. The trackmen should be considered as skilled workmen and given grade pay, they said.
The Railways must consider a special allowance for all open line staff, on a par with nursing allowance. Members demanded education allowance for their children and also medical facility for parents of employees.
The Railways must consider issuing “privilege passes” for unmarried and unemployed sons of railwaymen until they attained the age of 33.
A re-designation of all “merger grades” was needed in the interests of the employees, they said.
