Railway workers on 5-day strike

VADODARA, June 16: Members of the Western Railway Mazdoor Sangh here began a five-day strike from Monday to press for their pending demands due to the alleged delay in the implementation of the Fifth Pay Commission recommendations.

The members are demanding that the government raise the income tax limit to Rs 1 lakh, make unconditional payment of transportation allowance and raise the allocation of senior typists and stenographers between Rs 4,500 and Rs 7,000. General Secretary of the Western Railway Mazdoor Sangh J G Mahurkar said the strike, which began on Monday, was being observed all over the country. 8220;Bonus should be paid on actual wages and stenographers should be upgraded,8221; he told Express Newsline.

Their another demand is that the apex scale of the employees of the Accounts Department be raised between Rs 7,450-11,500.

Members are also demanding removal of all pay anomalies rising out of the implementation of the Fifth Pay Commission report. Mahurkar said that the agitation began as a protest week8217;and the members would decide on further action if the government failed to consider their demands.