Flash strike by Metro ticketing staff over low salaries

Hyderabad: A flash strike by the Metro outsourcing employees caused hardship to passengers during busy hours on Tuesday. Around 150 Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd (HMRL) ticketing employees of Red line (LB Nagar-Miyapur stretch) boycotted duty outside the Ameerpet station demanding increased salaries.

In Ameerpet, LB Nagar and Miyapur Metro stations only a single officer was handling the ticket services because of the agitation, as against four on normal days. Long queues and a few passengers were seen buying tickets and re-charging their smart cards.

According to protesters, there has been no increase in the salaries for the past five years. Contractors are paying them Rs 11,000; also there are no adequate relievers when a shift ends, forcing others to work extra. The staff hardly has enough time to have lunch. They are not given transport charges or free rides. "It will be better if our salary is increased to Rs 18,000" the employees demanded.

Said Suresh Kumar (name changed), an employee, "we are only demanding hike in salary. At my joining they said that we will be given an increment in November. But on December 1 the contract got changed but nothing has happened. We need clarity whether we are going to get a hike or not, so for getting clarification, we called for a protest.

Metro authorities have assured us that within three days our problems would be solved if not once again we will hold a massive protest in front of Metro Bhavan," he warned.

Sunitha, another employee, stated that "for the past five years ticketing employees' salaries have not been increased. We are working without a weekly off. Almost for the past two years I have been working without any hike. Whenever we asked the management about pay increase they assured that it will be hiked, but nothing has happened so far. Despite being a staff member, we don't have free access/pass to use the Metro services, nor a decent discount."

Pointed out V Prasad, another employee, "after all deductions--PF and ESI--I get only Rs 11,000, which is not sufficient. We ticketing employees are working every day without any leave; sometimes we are forced to do overtime."

Meanwhile, a senior HMRL officer claimed that only a few ticketing staff of a contract agency abstained from work with the sole motive of disrupting train operations and causing inconvenience to passengers.

He maintained that "they are spreading rumors and misinformation out of vested interest. Their claims are false and their actions are against public interest, which will call for stern action by the management. The management ensures due facilities and benefits are given to the staff. However, we will be discussing with them to learn more. Train operations are running on time with sufficient manpower."