Delhi: Brace for complete shutdown of metro services from Saturday
From Saturday, the Delhi Metro may come to a complete halt, with DMRC employees threatening to go on an indefinite strike from June 30. Their key demands include pay hikes, union formation, promotions and official guidelines for sacking an employee. In fact, 9,000 non-executive staff members have already been protesting from June 19 at various depots and control rooms.
Last year too, DMRC staff had threatened a strike
Non-executive staff includes train operators, maintenance staff and station controllers, without whom metro services can't function. Last year too, they had called for a strike on similar demands, but a major crisis was averted when the DMRC management and staff council reached an agreement. However, even after one year, their demands have not been met, and hence this strike, said DMRC staff council officials.
'DMRC Staff Council be changed to DMRC employees union'
"Our first demand is that the DMRC Staff Council be changed to DMRC employees union as the Council isn't a constitutional body, so it doesn't have teeth. Other demands include implementation of Industrial Dearness Allowance as per 3rd pay-revision scale," said Ravi Bhardwaj, Council Secretary.
People are stuck in same pay-grade for 10 years
Echoing Bhardwaj, Mahaveer Prasad, General Secretary, DMRC Employees Union, said that people are stuck in the same pay-grade for 10 years. "Earlier a promotion was provided after every five years, subject to satisfactory service record," he said. Moreover, last year, they were told that there will be a merger between two pay-grades, Rs. 13,500-25,520 and Rs. 14,000-26,950, but it has not yet happened.
Wearing black armbands, employees have been striking for 9 days
Even after nine days, the scene remains unchanged, with several employees wearing black armbands sitting in at different metro stations in protest. They have also shied away from food, Bhardwaj said, adding that till June-29, passengers will not be inconvenienced. However, from June-30, there will be a complete halt to metro-services, he threatened. Meanwhile, DMRC spokesperson said this 'HR issue will be resolved.'
