Mumbai Motormen Strike –
A Warning to the Government
V. Shankar
The Joint Action Forum (JAF) of Motormen unions of the running staff of Mumbai local trains went on a hunger strike from 6 AM on May 3, resulting in a lightning strike. The strike not only paralysed the entire metro and its outskirts but the parliament as well for a day. All MPs from Maharashtra, including Congress, BJP and Shiv Sena on the one hand, and the Left parties on the other, raised the issue and Parliament session had to be adjourned several times on May 4. Shiv Sena MPs raised slogans that the parliament will not be allowed to function until Mumbai local train services were resumed. However, it is another story that the same party withdrew its support to the strike on the very same evening following directions from Bal Thackeray. An all-India call for hunger strike, issued by All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA), which would have otherwise been a non-event, turned into a major milestone in the railway workers struggle history, thanks to the lightning strike by the motormen of Mumbai local trains! Political observers say that this is the biggest-ever strike in last 30 years since the historic railway workers’ strike in 1974.
Mumbai motormen displayed exemplary struggling unity and determination against the surrender of established recognized unions like AIRF and NFIR and stuck to the ground in spite of dismissal of around 20 workers without any enquiry and arrest of more than 170 motormen in the name of unlawful assembly and preventing loyal workmen. Maharashtra government invoked Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to suppress the struggle with iron fist. Still, the government was unable to maintain even a skeleton of loco services. Merely 20% of the trains were plying, which was nothing before the need for carrying more than 65 lakhs of commuters everyday. Quite strangely, the government was forced to advise people not to commute unless it was extremely necessary. The motormen withdrew the strike on the second day evening only after getting assurance from the government to expedite solution to the problem and to cancel the dismissal orders. The Mumbai motormen have proved the potential fire power of the organized working class once again.
Unfortunately, established recognized unions were on the other side of the fence exposing the bankruptcy of the leadership of the trade union movement in the country. The government was complacent because of its understanding with recognized unions and was completely unaware of the potential of major strike power of workers outside the ambit of established unions.
Motormen strike is not actually a sudden one. Loco running staffs have a long standing complaint that they are inflicted historic injustice by subsequent pay commissions. Sixth Pay Commission has only aggravated it by fixing them at a lower grade pay not commensurate with the responsibility, skill, risk factor and experience attached to the post. Like unorganized sector workers, the motormen too face the problem of working for more than 14-16 hours a day. More than 25 percent vacant posts are still not filled and the existing motormen bear the brunt of this lack of adequate workforce and are burdened with heavy workload. There are around 1.9 lakh vacancies for loco running staff at all-India level of which 90000 fall under the safety category. Unlike other segments of working class, Mumbai motormen enjoy widespread sympathy among commuters in spite of their hardships, which is very uncommon. Motormen are not even able to spare enough time for their family life because of the unmanageable work loads. They have put forth a demand for an assistant loco pilot for every train as it involves the safety of lakhs and lakhs of passengers. These are other non-monetary, service condition related demands of the workers.
The issue is being raised by the motormen in various ways since the pay commission announced pay packages two years ago. Protests are being held in various forms like Dharna, wearing black badge, hunger fast, etc. Earlier, the Loco running staff declared to go on strike on 26 January. However, this was averted with the government assuring to institute a fast track committee to look into their demands. The committee was set up in mid-February but it never initiated the process of resolving the issue by meeting workers and unions. Workers ultimatum of April 15 to solve the issue was not taken seriously by the government and the Railway Board. Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee did not even bother to involve herself in sorting out the issue while Mumbai and parliament were paralysed. She was busy with her own state municipal elections. Frustrated workers went on with hunger strike and in turn, the lightning strike.
The motormen of Mumbai led by JAF and loco running staff led by AILRSA are determined to again go on struggle to achieve their demands. The lightning strike is a warning to the anti-worker government and its callous administration.