India, ferrovie, sciopero
● India (Stato del Marashastra, quello della capitale Mumbai): Agitazione di oltre 600 macchinisti della Western Railway e della Central Railway, la maggiore dal 1974.
● Oggi, di fatto paralizzata l’arteria vitale di Mumbai dato che solo il 20% dei treni (linee Western, Central, Harbour e suburbani) erano in funzione, causa lo sciopero della fame (iniziato alle 6 del mattino di lunedì) dei macchinisti che chiedono tra l’altro aumenti di salari e diarie.
● Almeno 170 dei macchinisti in sciopero sono stati arrestati al terminale Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), accusati di riunione illegale e di aver impedito ai dipendenti delle ferrovie di andare al lavoro.
● In precedenza 20 macchinisti, 10 per ognuna delle due società, sono stati licenziati per aver rifiutato di andare a lavorare.
– Il primo ministro del Marashastra ha chiesto una riunione di emergenza; ha chiesto al primo ministro Manmohan Singh di intervenire per far cessare lo sciopero.
– I macchinisti sotto pressione per l’arresto di diversi di loro e per la minaccia del governo di far ricorso alla legge ESMA (sui “servizio essenziali”, che consente di proibire lo sciopero per i settori ritenuti essenziali …) contro gli scioperanti delle ferrovie, hanno posto fine allo sciopero dopo che il governo ha assicurato che esaminerà le loro richieste e medierà tra scioperanti e il ministero delle ferrovie …
La decisione di costringere i macchinisti a porre fine allo sciopero è stata presa dal governo del Marashastra con l’appoggio dei partiti MNS, Congresso e Shiv Sena.
MUMBAI: Over seven million commuters, including office-goers and students, were severely hit on Tuesday, the second day of the ongoing agitation by motormen manning Mumbai’s crucial suburban trains.
– The agitation by over 600 motormen on the Western Railway (WR) and Central Railway (CR) compelled the railways to issue a rare advisory Tuesday morning.
"People may undertake (train) journey only if it’s very important," said a bulk SMS with a helpline No. 10721 to assist stranded commuters.
– At least 170 of the striking motormen were taken into custody at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) on charges of unlawful assembly and obstructing rail employees from reporting for work, Government Railway Police Commissioner Tukaram Chavan said.
– Earlier, 20 motormen, 10 each from Central and Western railways, were dismissed from service for refusing to join duty, railway officials said here.
– Railway authorities today said only 20 per cent suburban trains were operating as a result of the hunger strike by motormen demanding hike in pay scales and allowances.
– The motormen have been on a hunger strike since 6am on Monday and are demanding a pay hike among other things. Their strike led to complete chaos in the city during the evening peak hour traffic on Monday.
Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan has called an emergency meeting to discuss the situation arising out of the motormen’s strike. Police, railway and transport officials will attend the meeting, official sources said.
Chavan had on Monday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and requested his intervention to end the strike, the sources said.
The chief minister also spoke to railway minister Mamata Banerjee and requested her to take stringent action against the striking motormen, they said.
While hundreds of commuters managed to reach their homes late Monday, the situation was worse on Tuesday morning with the railways announcing the cancellation of nearly 80 percent of the total 2,000 daily services.
The railways resorted to desperate – but insufficient – measures like permitting people to travel in long-distance trains and making them halt at all suburban stations.
– The railways are also making alternative arrangements to grapple with the agitation, considered the worst in Mumbai since 1974.
– The BEST and MSRTC chipped in to help the stranded commuters by deploying additional services in the city and elsewhere.
– Mumbai University announced that any student who was delayed for the 40-odd final examinations need not panic, they would be permitted extra time to write their papers.
The motormen’s agitation has had a cascading effect on Mumbai roads and highways which have been plagued by ugly traffic snarls since Monday night – and the situation was repeated Tuesday morning.
In fact, the railway agitation managed to overshadow the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case, in which the verdict pronouncing Pakistani national Mohammed Ajmal Amir alias Kasab guilty was delivered on Monday.
merinews.com
Mumbai train strike by motormen called off amidst ESMA threat
– RAILWAY MOTORMEN in Mumbai have called off their strike reportedly after assurances from government that their demands will looked into. The Motormen were also under pressure after some of them were detained by police and the government had threatened to invoke ESMA Act (EssentialServices Maintenance Act ) against the striking employees.
– Although the chief minister had said that there would be no immediate implementation of ESMA but the government stand was hardening over time as millions of train passengers in Mumbai were facing immense hardship.
The Maharashtra CM had also decided to hold talks with the agitators in order to persuade them to call off the ongoing motormen strike putting the red signal given by the Centre for invoking provisions.
The Motormen strike started yesterday on 3rd May with over 1000 motormen demanding a hike in salary as per the Sixth pay commission.
The government reportedly was forced to think about invoking ESMA so as to put the paralyzed Mumbai amidst the motormen strike back to normalcy.
Times of India 100504
– After holding the city to ransom for two days, railway motormen called off their indefinite strike following talks with the state government on Tuesday.
– The decision to bring Mumbai’s lifeline on track came shortly after Maharashtra government, edged on by parties like MNS, Congress and Shiv Sena to end the stir, mulled invoking provisions of Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA).
– The motormen decided to call off their agitation after the state government gave an assurance to them that it would mediate between the strikers and the Railway ministry, Home Minister R R Patil after the meeting with representatives of the motormen.
"The government took the lead to resolve the crisis as normal life was thrown out of gear due to the strike and people had to suffer lots of hardships," Patil said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray said he would fight with the government on genuine demands of the striking motormen in Mumbai and asked them to resume work immediately.
– Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, whose party poll symbol is railway engine, also warned motormen to call off the strike or else face his party’s opposition.
Times of India 100504
Maharashtra govt considering ESMA option against striking motormen
– Maharashtra government is weighing the option of invoking Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to tackle the motormen’s strike which entered second day today, throwing normal life out of gear in the city.
"Invoking ESMA is an option before the government and it is being considered," a top official told PTI.
The official said the Centre had asked the railway authorities to hold consultations with the state government on invoking the provisions of ESMA that would enable the authorities to even arrest the agitating motormen.
Chief minister Ashok Chavan is holding an emergency meeting with top railway and transport officials at Mantralaya where invoking the stringent Act was being considered, sources said.
– Meanwhile, with hardly 20 per cent trains running on the Western, Central and Harbour lines, suburban railway services — Mumbai’s lifeline, have been virtually paralysed.
Road traffic too is badly affected due to the motormen’s stir and all major streets are witnessing traffic snarls with most people opting for vehicular transport.