Indian Railways is a mammoth organisation employing around 13.08 lakh workforce spread across the length and breadth of the country. This makes Indian Railways the largest employer in India. However at the same time this also makes the management of this humungous workforce a key challenge of Industrial relations.
Unions in Indian Railways:
Trade union history of Indian Railways is as old as the labour movement in India. Labour Movements started in India around the 1870s. The first employees organisation in IR was formed in 1897. It was named “Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants of India and Burma”. This happened in the backdrop of a strike conducted by Guards.
Post independence Article 19(c) of the Indian constitution allowed Indian citizens to form associations and Union as a fundamental Right. Trade Union Act 1929 allowed for any 7 or more members in an organisation to form a trade Union. Trade unions flourished in Indian Railways after independence. However the real need for management of Industrial relations was felt only after the Indian Railway strike of 1974. The strike lasted for 20 days from 8 to 27 May 1974. Around 17 lakh workers participated in this strike and till date this strike is the largest recorded industrial action in the world.
Administrative Changes after the strike:
Various forums like Permanent Negotiating Machinery (PNM) and Participation of Railway Employee In Management (PREM) have already existed in Indian Railways. However post 1974 strike these forums were strengthened. A dedicated group A service named IRPS (Indian Railway Personnel Service) was created. This service addresses day to day issues of employee grievances. It also manages Industrial relations.
PNM
The term PNM stands for Permanent Negotiation Machinery. PNM was set up in the year 1952 and came into force from 1.1.52. As it is clear from the name itself it is a continuous negotiation forum. The meetings are held at division level, Zonal level and Railway Board level as per the schedule decided in consultation with the Unions. The meetings are mostly based on the principle of collective bargaining.
PREM
Indian Railways recognises the role of every single employee in smooth running of the organisation. It is precisely due to this reason that PREM was set up in Indian Railways based on the pattern of Whitely council in UK. The term PREM stands for Participation of Railway Employees In Management. Similar to the PNM the meetings are held at Division level, zonal level and Railway Board level as per the pre-decided schedule. The main objective is to evaluate the functioning of railways, mutual exchange of ideas for improving the efficiency and viability of the organisation.
Apart from the above two forums, there are other forums. These include quarter committees for inspection and management of railway quarters. They also include the staff benefit funds committee for management of staff benefit fund. There is also the canteen management committee. Additionally, there is the Labour advisory committee. These other forums are also in existence for collective management of quarters, canteens etc.. These forums provide for participation of employees in management which is also one of the directive Principles of state policy( article 43A) in Indian Constitution.
It is fascinating to mention here that employee-employer relation in Indian Railways is not restricted only to administration and staff relations. Rather, it covers the families of the staff as well. There are provisions for children Education allowance, employee children camps hostels for the wards of the Railway employees, railway schools etc. which cater to the needs of the families of the Railway staff. This makes the Industrial relations management in Indian Railways a very comprehensive and inclusive exercise.
Have these forums been effective?
The staff in Indian Railways works round the clock throughout the year many a times at very difficult and inaccessible locations. Unions through these forums have been able to brought about the issues of such railway employees before the railway administration which otherwise could have been missed by the administration. Seen in this context these forums have promoted larger cohesiveness in the organisation and have also provided for employee-management connect. Post 1974 strike Indian Railways has never witnessed any strike on a major scale. A major reason among others for this has been the efficient functioning of these forums. They have brought the employee’s issues to the negotiation table.
Indian Railways has devised a good structure of Industrial relations. This structure has ensured resolution of employee grievances. It achieves this through continuous discussion and dialogue.
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