CHENNAI: Loco pilots have staged a sit-in hunger strike presenting a series of demands before Southern Railway which includes reduction in working hours and weekly off.
The loco pilots, represented by the All India Loco Running Staff Association, urged a review of duty hours, daily rest, weekly rest, and the limit for continuous night duty for train drivers. They also demanded the scrapping of old pension scheme. A number of loco pilots staged hunger strikes sitting in front of the crew booking office at MMC complex, Tambaram, and other places on Thursday.
V Balachandran, central organising secretary of AILRSA, said, “The per-day working hours should be reduced to 10 from 12-14 hours. Hundreds of train drivers have been working without weekly off. The rotational off for every 40 hours has to be implemented.”