Will intensify stir if demands aren't met: DMRC Staff Council
What's the story
A section of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Staff Council, which has been protesting over a number of issues, including pay scale, yesterday threatened to intensify the stir if their demands aren't met in the next few days, a council member said.
DMRC's non-executive staff has been demonstrating at Yamuna Bank and Shahdara metro stations since June 19 to pitch for their eight-point demand.
Demands
What are the demands of DMRC staff?
The council said the demands have been sent to Delhi Metro authorities and the Union Urban Affairs Ministry, seeking redressal of their grievances.
"Our demands include that DMRC Staff Council be changed to a DMRC employees union as the council is not a constitutional body, implementation of Industrial Dearness Allowance (IDA) as per the 3rd pay revision scale," the council's secretary, Ravi Bhardwaj, said.
HR issues
Employees facing problems due to HR issues: DMRC official
On the first day of the strike, employees wore black armbands to register their protest.
"Subsequently, when the DMRC didn't take cognizance of our demands, we went on symbolic hunger strike, when many of our members didn't consume food while on duty," Ravi Bhardwaj said.
A senior DMRC official said, "There are some HR issues, which we hope, would be resolved."
Information
There are 9,000 non-executive staff in Delhi Metro
According to the DMRC, there are a total of 12,000 people employed with the transporters. Bhardwaj claimed that non-executive staff comprised "about 9,000 of the total employee base".
Warning
DMRC staff threatens to completely stop work
"If our demands aren't met in next few days, we will go on complete hunger strike and drivers will drive trains in that condition. And, if anything happens to our members or to commuters then the DMRC shall be responsible for it," Bhardwaj said.
"Even then if our voices are not heard by DMRC authorities, we will completely stop work," he claimed.