On 21st October 2911, Railwaymen began their agitation for recruitment of gangmen.
On 21st October 2911, Railwaymen began their agitation for recruitment of gangmen.
“How many more deaths railway administration is awaiting?” said the heading of the posters highlighting criminal negligence by the railway authorities. During the year 2008-09, 19 gangmen in Solapur division, 17 in Bhusawal, 32 in Mumbai, 6 in Nagpur and 8 in Pune division were mauled down by railway rakes while they were working on the tracks. Their union had informed the railway administration about this on 20th January 2010. But the railway administration did not take any concrete actions. And hence during the last 6 months 15 more gangmen lost their lives in similar fashion. Hence railwaymen were left with no option but to launch their struggle.
Inadequate number of gangmen is the main reason behind these tragedies. Gangmen are forced to work without any assistants showing them red flags indicating approaching trains. The gangmen are angry that while refusing to recruit adequate number of gangmen, the railway administration is instead talking of training the gangmen regarding safety! We must note that whenever any rail accident happens the railway administration immediately blames signalmen, or engine drivers or other railway employees. But this example of how they deal with gangmen once again proves that real culprits are the railway administration who instead of recruiting adequate number of people are bent upon downsizing and who force drivers and other employees to work in inhuman condition and very long duty hours. On behalf of Mazdoor Ekta Lahar , we denounce the railway administration and fully support the demand of urgent recruitment of adequate number of gangmen.
Gangmen have a very important responsibility of maintaining lakhs of kilometers of railway track spread across our country. Whether rain or intense heat or severe cold, whether day or night, they have to physically travel the entire tracks and physically check the condition of railway tracks. Gangmen are thus an important link in the chain responsible for railway safety. Gangmen have one of the toughest jobs of the entire railwaymen. To take care of their health and well being is as good as taking care of safety of crores of passengers using Indian railways. But in last many decades there has been hardly any improvement in their conditions of work or facilities given to them. The government of India which cries hoarse about their capability of putting satellites in orbit cannot provide a simple tool of communication between gangmen and engine drivers so that they can directly communicate with each other and thus gangmen can carry out their duties more efficiently and safely. No! As long as capitalist class rules our country, technology will not be used for the welfare and safety of working people. Till then working people will continue to get mauled by the insatiable hunger of capitalists for profits.