The Indian Railways has been compromising with safety by repeatedly bowing to lobby of the trade unions, alleged president of All India Railway Engineers’ Federation Sanjib Kumar.
Reacting to the cancellation of a letter on December 27 circulated on January 30 this year, seeking opinions of the unions that supervisors cannot be office bearers of labour unions, he said, “It is unfortunate that still the Railways gives more weightage to lobby of labour unions than passengers’ safety.”
According sources, Justices Kunzru (year 1962), Wanchoo (year 1968) and Sikri (year 1978) have recommended to debar supervisors from labour union activities to improve railway safety. In the year 1998, Railway Safety Review Committee led by Justice Khanna had endorsed the same. It mentioned five strong points for which supervisors should be debarred from labour unions.
The points are: If they become members, then they have to overlook the failures of workers who are the members of their unions. A significant share of their time and energy is taken up by union activity thus their efficiency is reduced. They no more remain to the staff under their control. They hesitate to take up with defaulting workers because they need support from them. They cannot discharge their duties successfully and also compromise their professional integrity on union considerations.
A Task Force on Safety led by a General Manger and top Zonal Officers who are directly linked with safety which submitted its report in January this year validated the recommendation of Khanna Committee and advised to implement it within 3 months. After analysing again, the Railways finally agreed to implement with partial modification and had circulated a letter.
President of East Coast Railway engineers Association Er BobinMohanty further told that even in oldest department defence, engineers are not allowed to be members of labour unions. Nowhere in any Central or State Government departments, are engineers kept along with labours except in the Railways, he lamented.
General secretary of association Er B P Dash said that the Railways should equally focus on human resources and latest technology to improve safety and reduce accidents.