Bangalore Metro Rail Employees Union strike: Emergency teams train despite strike deferment
BENGALURU: Despite the March 22 strike call by the Bangalore Metro Rail Employees Union (BMREU) being deferred by a month, the emergency measures declared by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) a couple of days ago, continue to be in force. Wednesday saw over 300 contract staff members from various project teams getting trained by regular Operations and Maintenance staff across all 40 Metro stations. The same will continue on Thursday too.
A couple of days ago, BMRCL had declared “an emergency period” and directed most of its staffers to report for duty at various stations from 5 am on March 21 to be prepared to handle operations during the planned March 22 strike. These back-up staff drawn from the Projects teams were to play the roles of Revenue Managers, Reach Officers, Incharge emergency station controllers, Metro Commandant and Car Officer.
Top Metro officials, meanwhile, denied the rumours doing the rounds that a number of permanent Metro employees who were upset over the strike being called off, could show their solidarity by going on ‘enmasse leave.’BMRCL Managing Director Mahendra Jain explained it as “general training and mock drill to be even better prepared for future eventualities.”
Meanwhile, the BMREU board members held two rounds of talks at Cubbon Park on Wednesday to explain to all employees who were part of the Union on the reasons for agreeing to hold talks. Two active members of the Union told TNIE that there was considerable disgruntlement among those who were keen about taking part in the strike due to the month-long deferment.
‘Top officials to be shunted’
Meanwhile, a senior Metro official assured TNIE that steps have been initiated to remove a few mid-management level employees “who were said to be unnecessarily harassing those under their supervision” from their present posts and deputed elsewhere. The move was confirmed by another official.