Shun caste and focus on staff welfare, railways tells trade unions

Indian Railways sets conditions for trade unions' recognition, emphasizing unity and welfare of employees over divisive tactics.

The Indian Railways, one of the largest employers of the Government of India with over 12 lakh employees, has directed the newly elected trade unions to keep divisive tactics such as caste, creed etc away and focus on the overall welfare of staff. 

According recognition to two trade unions — the All India Railwaymen’s Federation (AIRF) and the National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (NFIR) — for a period of five years after the nationwide secret ballot elections held in the first week of December last year, the railways laid down certain conditions for them to follow. 

The federations were told to refrain from encouraging divisive tactics based on any distinction of caste, creed, category, regions or railways. The overall interest of all categories of non-gazetted employees (Group ‘C’ and erstwhile Group ‘D’) of railways should be kept uppermost.

Issuing the guidelines based on various court orders and provisions under the Indian Railway Establishment Manual, the Railway Board in a communication sent to the general secretaries of both the federations said the recognition would be withdrawn or suspended if there was violation of any of the conditions.

The railways said only a railway employee or “honourably” retired railway employee could hold any position in the federations. The Railway Board should be given regularly the copies of rules of the federations and amendments, if any.

Asking federations not to maintain any political funds, the railways urged them to use their influence to ”prevent illegal action calculated to interfere with the working of the railway.”

The federations have several constituent trade unions affiliated to them. Just before the elections, the railways said the constituent trade unions should have collectively got at least 15% of the valid votes polled on all Indian Railways basis. It was also announced that the constituent trade unions should have got recognition in at least six of the total 17 Zonal Railways.