Election for the recognition of trade unions in Indian Railways was held on 4, 5 and 6 December 2024 via Secret Ballot. This election was scheduled to be held in the year of 2019, but at last Railway Administration was compelled to hold the election at the order of Delhi High Court. Election was held at Zonal levels. This election was held at 17 zones including Metro Railway Kolkata and two Production Units at RCF, Kapurthala and CLW, Chittaranjan.
As a significant victory, IREF (Indian Railways Employees Federation) affiliated 2 zonal and 1 production unit unions secured 1st position. Zonal Union East Central Railway Employees Union (ECREU) at E C Rly got the recognition as a single union through securing 20,924 votes (33.53%). At N E Rly, North Eastern Railway Men’s Congress (NERMC) (got affiliated with the IREF some time back after splitting from NFIR) got the recognition as single union through securing 17,388 votes (49%). At Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala (Punjab), a production unit, RCF Employees Union (RCFEU) got the recognition as single union through securing 2,201 votes (43.8%).
Apart from the above, IREF affiliated Zonal Union Akhand Railway Karmachari Sangh (ARKS) (joined the federation recently) at South East Central Railway (SECR) secured 10,819 (27.9%) votes and secured 2nd position; and at West Central Railway, West Central Railway Workers Union (WCRWU) secured 7.402 (16.47%) votes and secured 3rd position. In some other zones too, our zonal unions have registered a decent presence. IREF contested at 9 Zones and 2 Production Units.
AIRF (All India Railway Men’s Federation) affiliated Zonal Unions got recognition at 13 Zones and no recognition at both the Production Units and NFIR (National Federation of Indian Railways) got the recognition at 12 Zones. Another significant aspect of this election is that CITU affiliated Union at Southern Railway DREU and CLU at CLW got the recognition. Importantly, the BMS affiliated BRMS has been ousted in the race for recognition.
Attacks on TU Rights
Although these elections were held after a long delay and only on court orders, but the attacks on TU Rights through arbitrariness in framing of Rules / Modalities continues. The recognition granted to the Trade Union in Zone or production Unit can be withdrawn /suspended by the General Manager for any justifiable reason. Such authoritarian/undemocratic provision in Rule 5.8 of the modality has been framed to curtail the right to collective bargaining. In the event of certain stoppage of work, Mass sick leave and work to rule, let alone the question of Wild cat strike, this black Rule can be indiscriminately applied on the recognised Unions. Moreover, such steps will be more stringent when the new code on Industrial Relations, 2020 will come into effect in Indian Railways.
Emergence of IREF
IREF was formed in the year 2014 and got affiliated with AICCTU in 2019 with a motto of developing it as an alternative, struggling, Left Federation. Naturally IREF contested the election as a Federation for the first time. IREF has 11 Zonal unions (out of total 17 zones) and unions at 5 Production Units, in total 16 unions.
IREF was initiated by RCF Employees Union, Kapurthala along with some other smaller unions following the Modi govt.'s all-out attacks on Railways and on the other hand, amid this attack, the attitude of inaction and collaboration with the central govt. by the established federations like AIRF and NFIR. Since then, IREF has been consistently fighting against neoliberal policies such as NPS/UPS, Privatisation, Contractorisation /Outsourcing, Surrender of posts, non-filling of vacancies and on the question of safety. Some of the burning issues of Railwaymen particularly the worse working conditions of Track Maintainers (previously Gangmen) with their career progression issues were represented to the Parliamentary standing committee on Railways through CPI-ML MP, Sudama Prasad also.
The success of IREF was due to valuable support of all railway employees and workers of various categories, right from trackmen to loco pilots, guards, and we extend our revolutionary greetings to them.
AICCTU - IREF is emboldened by the support and confidence reposed by the employees by awarding significant victory. AICCTU - IREF assures to all rail employees that we will further intensify and carry forward the struggles to protect the interests of employees with much more determination and commitment. This victory is definitely an important step towards developing IREF as an alternative federation.
Let us all make all-out efforts to develop IREF as an alternative, struggling, left federation in the railways.
