Railway employees unions on a collection spree for Deepavali

The festival is still over a month and a half away and even the Southern Railway has yet to distribute bonus, but one of the unions have started collecting lump sums of money from its members. It has increased the amount this year too. 

Copies of receipts collected from employees by DTNext revealed that the union has doubled the amount to Rs 2,000 per member this time. Enquiries made with sources confirmed that receipt books have been distributed to union officer-bearers in branches and sections offices. 

So systematic are their methods, for instance, the union bifurcated Chennai Central in to three branches, ticket collection, booking and guards, indeed, contrary to the railway rules which stipulate that a branch ought to have a minimum of 1,000 employees. 

Each branch has been further divided into sections. They are already collecting Rs 2,000 from others and threefold more from clerk’s holding plum posts in ticket booking and parcel office counters in the city. 

“Contribution from members in MMC or Central or Egmore is largely voluntary and generous, whereas members in far off places reluctantly pay less, and sometimes, nothing. Any railway employee other than office-bearers of other unions are potential contributors,” admitted a source requesting anonymity.

Significantly, the same employees do not make great fuss when other unions collect for Deepavali. “They charge Rs 200 maximum, so their members don’t mind, but this union demands tenfold more. This year, it is highest ever,” a source at SR headquarters reluctantly told this paper. 

Despite repeated attempts, the union leaders refused to comment on the issue.