Attacks on railway staff: But union says we only argue

This is not a joke or exaggeration as thrice in less than a month, staff and officers have been roughed up by either union or outsiders in the division. A fortnight after members of SRMU (Southern Railway Mazdoor Union) had kept three senior section engineers ‘detained’ in Arakkonam during duty time, a parcel booking clerk was assaulted here in Chennai. The clerk at the counter was allegedly assaulted by a parcel agent who had insisted on him ‘overbooking’ in a north bound train.

Sources privy to the incident revealed to DT Next that the agent had only brought five bales, but he insisted on booking it as 30 parcels, which the young north Indian booking clerk had refused. Following an argument, the agent had assaulted the clerk, which left the glass partition shattered. Curiously, neither the RPF, whose duty it was to protect railway property, took the clerk’s complaint seriously nor the railway police who received a complaint from the agent, accusing the clerk of assaulting him.

“The agent who assaulted the clerk was the same person who was involved in the November 2018 parcel theft at Chennai Central. The agent has the backing of an influential union. Both the clerk and agent were chased away threatening arrest,” revealed a railway source privy to the development, before wondering what has become of the CCTVs fixed a few months ago after the unearthing of second parcel theft there. RPF claimed that the footage of the incident was unavailable due to power outage. The incident follows a similar quarrel between the clerk and agents on platform while loading Coramandel Express at Chennai Central last week.

Early last week, a senior section engineer of SR at Perambur Carriage Works was allegedly manhandled by members of SRMU.

This, a fortnight after four engineers were detained at the official of Additional Divisional Signal and Telecom Engineer in Arakkonam for four hours by members of the same union.

The series of incidents has exposed the alleged highhandedness of SRMU members and vulnerability of employees and officials in the zone. Face-off between the recognized union and the management was in news a few years ago when the then chief commercial manager of SR was ‘raided’ by a handful of union members at the zonal headquarters.

While the CCM had initiated disciplinary action, the incident followed a complaint by the union, accusing the CCM of wielding a firearm in his chamber. It was during the same time that the then senior divisional commercial manager was allegedly assaulted by a group of SRMU members who had stormed into his office following differences in posting of staff at the parcel and ticket booking offices. The incident had resulted in the prolonged suspension of nearly a dozen staff. Ironically, suspension of most of the accused in the assault case were revoked, while two of them pleading innocence were demoted.

Even highly placed SR officer conceded that their hands were tied and top-level officials were either partnering with the union or being mute spectator to avoid antagonizing the influential union.

When asked, SRMU general secretary N Kannaiah said,“We engage in heated arguments with the officers to represent employee’s grievances, but we don’t subscribe to violence. We don’t believe in it. Some officers consider themselves as monarchs and disrespect employees. Even then, we only argue, but resort to any assault or violence.” Denying allegations that the union engages in such show of strength ahead of the union recognition elections, Kannaiah added, “Rival unions which fail to win employees confidence spread such falsehood.” Asked about the alleged nexus of parcel agents and senior SRMU functionaries, the SRMU general secretary said, “It was reported in some media. Vigilance did its inquiry. They found nothing to show the union’s involvement. We have nothing to say on that.”

Ironically, the parcel scams unearthed in November 2018 and early this year pointed to the involvement of senior SRMU functionaries, including one related to Kannaiah. The SRMU fuctionary related to Kannaiah was among the staff placed under suspension in connection with the 2018 parcel theft.