Mumbai: Rail strike put on hold

CRMS and the NRMU protest at CSMT

The railway strike planned for May 1 over the National Pension Scheme (NPS) has been postponed to a later date. Huge protest rallies were held by both railway trade unions, the Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh (CRMS), and the National Railway Mazdoor Union (NRMU) at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.

The strike was planned by a platform of trade unions and associations representing 28 lakh government employees, including those in the Railways and Central Public Sector Undertakings, as well as more than three crore state government employees and teachers. The unions are demanding the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) to replace the NPS.

"It is sad that the government has introduced a contributory pension scheme presently named the National Pension System (NPS) with no guarantee of 50 per cent of last pay drawn as the minimum pension, while there is no provision for family pension, commutation, etc. Railway employees are extremely agitated against it, terming it as a No Pension Scheme. It has resulted in disappointment and frustration among railway employees," said Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh President RP Bhatnagar.

"Following a meeting held at North Block, New Delhi, between the Pension Review Committee and the Joint Consultative Machinery (Staff side), the decision has been taken to defer the strike call," said Dr Praveen Bajpai, CRMS general secretary.

"The NRMU held a historic demonstration to protest against the NPS, filling vacancies to create job opportunities for young workers, and providing a safe working environment," said Venu P Nair, general secretary of NRMU. "A large number of youth and women comrades have taken the initiative to stand altogether under his leadership to fight for rights," he added.

May 1
Day the strike was planned for