Railway unions to oppose move to recruit retired loco pilots

CHENNAI: Railway unions are up in arms against the move to bring in retired loco pilots to do non-driving jobs.

Southern Railway has started appointing retired loco pilots as crew controllers, power controllers, lobby supervisors and to other back-office jobs that are currently handled by loco pilots who are in service.

Several loco pilots took part in a protest organised by Southern Railway Mazdoor Union (SRMU) on Tuesday in front of the station master's room at Madras Moore Market Complex suburban station against the move. The union has demanded that railways fill up the vaccancies instead of recalling retired loco pilots.

Dakshin Railway Employees Union (DREU) is planning to stage a similar protest at the same location on Wednesday. "The retired loco pilots are going to be working on daily wage basis in many safety-related posts. They will decide the crew allotments. They cannot be held accountable for the work they will be doing," said a DREU office-bearer.

Sources said that railway had a retirement policy whereby persons engaged in safety-related job can opt for voluntary retirement between 50 to 57 years of age. Sources said that it was also doubtful whether retired loco pilots would join because railway would be paying them just Rs 600 per day.

Chennai is a major division in Southern Railway in terms of the number of trains operated. Over 300 loco pilots work in the division. A good number of them, though trained to drive trains, also work as crew controllers, power controllers and other office works instead of operating trains.

As many loco pilots are employed as crew controllers and in other essential works, railways does not have adequate number of loco pilots to run trains. This shortage comes as a stumbling block for the railways, which is under pressure to operate special trains during festival and holiday seasons.

The argument of officials that the move was meant to make the most of existing loco pilots and operate as many trains as possible has not gone down well with the railway unions. As recruitments have been slow, railways do not have adequate loco pilots to operate trains. Many loco pilots, sources said, consider back-office jobs at the train control office as less strenous than running trains

Courtesy;timesofindia