Title - Loco pilots stage protest

Members of the Loco Running Staff Wing of Southern Railway Mazdoor Union (SRMU) staged a demonstration demanding a charter of demands, including filling up of vacancies in the posts of loco pilots and guards on Thursday.SRMU divisional secretary J.M. Rafi, who led the protest, said that out of 350 posts of pilots in the division, 50 posts were lying vacant putting untold pressure on the serving employees.The protestors were against loco pilots from Madurai division being asked to work for trains and goods of the Salem division. The pilots were even asked to operate trains without required breaks for lunch and to attend to nature’s call.The administration had not taken any efforts to recruit new loco pilots. The process would take 18 months to induct pilots for work. It would add to the work pressure on the serving employees, a functionary of the union, V. Ramkumar, said.Among their demands were additional allowance and non-inclusion of mileage allowance for calculating income tax.