Madurai
Members of of Southern Railway Mazdoor Union belonging to Madurai Division began a 60-hour-long fast in support of various demands here on Tuesday.
A total of 700 workers, including women, are participating in the fast. SRMU divisional secretary J. M. Rafi said that the move to privatise railway services would focus more on commercial viability rather than offering services to the poor.
The British brought railways to the nook and corner of the country only to serve agriculture and industry and it was not aimed at making profit.
V. Ramkumar, assistant divisional secretary, and D. Ravichandran, divisional president, also addressed the gathering.
The SRMU wanted the new pension scheme to be scrapped and wanted the Indian Railways to revert to the old scheme which had assured returns.
The present scheme did not guarantee it, it said. It urged the government to give up its move to privatise track maintenance as passenger safety could not be compromised.
The other demands included an increase in running allowance.
The railway employees also opposed the move to re-employ retired employees and the closure of railway schools and hospitals.
