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{{Use Indian English|date=April 2019}} | {{Use Indian English|date=April 2019}} | ||
'''1974 railway strike in India''' was a major [[Strike action|strike]] by the workers of [[Indian Railways]] in 1974. The strike lasted from 8 to 27 May 1974.<ref name="f1">{{cite news |last1=Sridhar |first1=V |title=Chronicle of a strike |url=http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl1819/18190750.htm |access-date=5 June 2018 |publisher=Frontline |date=15 September 2001}}</ref> The 20 day strike by 1.7 million (17 lakh) workers is the largest recorded [[industrial action]] in the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1819/18190750.htm |title=Welcome to Frontline : Vol. 29 :: No. 03 |publisher=Hinduonnet.com |access-date=2012-02-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219024133/http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1819/18190750.htm |archive-date=2011-02-19 |url-status= | '''1974 railway strike in India''' was a major [[Strike action|strike]] by the workers of [[Indian Railways]] in 1974. The strike lasted from 8 to 27 May 1974.<ref name="f1">{{cite news |last1=Sridhar |first1=V |title=Chronicle of a strike |url=http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl1819/18190750.htm |access-date=5 June 2018 |publisher=Frontline |date=15 September 2001}}</ref> The 20 day strike by 1.7 million (17 lakh) workers is the largest recorded [[industrial action]] in the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1819/18190750.htm |title=Welcome to Frontline : Vol. 29 :: No. 03 |publisher=Hinduonnet.com |access-date=2012-02-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219024133/http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1819/18190750.htm |archive-date=2011-02-19 |url-status=usurped }}</ref> | ||
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,944832,00.html |title=INDIA: Strangulating Strike |publisher=TIME |date=1974-05-20 |access-date=2012-02-11}}</ref><ref name=a/><ref name=b> | <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,944832,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222065706/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,944832,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 December 2008 |title=INDIA: Strangulating Strike |publisher=TIME |date=1974-05-20 |access-date=2012-02-11}}</ref><ref name=a/><ref name=b>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.jstor.org/pss/4395459|jstor = 4395459|title = Railway Workers and Their Unions: Origins of 1974 Indian Railways Strike|last1 = Sherlock|first1 = Stephen|journal = Economic and Political Weekly|year = 1989|volume = 24|issue = 41|pages = 2311–2322}}</ref> | ||
==Reasons for the strike== | ==Reasons for the strike== | ||
The strike was held to demand an eight-hour working day for locomotive staff by All India Railway Mens federation and a raise in pay scale, which had remained stagnant over many years, in spite of the fact that pay scales of other government owned entities had risen over the years.<ref>{{cite web |title=THE INDIAN RAILWAYS STRIKE OF 1974:A Study of Power and Organised Labour |url=http://indianrailwayemployee.com/content/indian-railways-strike-1974-study-power-and-organised-labour |website=Indian railway employee website |publisher=Indian railway employee |access-date=5 June 2018}}</ref> Furthermore, since British times the Railways termed the work of the locomotive staff as "continuous", implying that workers would have to remain at work as long as the train ran on its trip, often for several days at a stretch. The [[independence of India]] did not change this. The eight hour work day had not been implemented in Indian railways by the [[Railway Board]], a quasi government bureaucracy despite having become a free country in 1947, this had led to dissatisfaction among labour, especially locomotive Pilots.<ref name="book">{{cite book |last1=Sherlock |first1=Stephen |title=The Indian railways strike of 1974: A study of power and organised labour Hardcover | The strike was held to demand an eight-hour working day for locomotive staff by All India Railway Mens federation and a raise in pay scale, which had remained stagnant over many years, in spite of the fact that pay scales of other government owned entities had risen over the years.<ref>{{cite web |title=THE INDIAN RAILWAYS STRIKE OF 1974:A Study of Power and Organised Labour |url=http://indianrailwayemployee.com/content/indian-railways-strike-1974-study-power-and-organised-labour |website=Indian railway employee website |publisher=Indian railway employee |access-date=5 June 2018}}</ref> Furthermore, since British times the Railways termed the work of the locomotive staff as "continuous", implying that workers would have to remain at work as long as the train ran on its trip, often for several days at a stretch. The [[independence of India]] did not change this. The eight hour work day had not been implemented in Indian railways by the [[Railway Board]], a quasi government bureaucracy despite having become a free country in 1947, this had led to dissatisfaction among labour, especially locomotive Pilots.<ref name="book">{{cite book |last1=Sherlock |first1=Stephen |title=The Indian railways strike of 1974: A study of power and organised labour Hardcover – 2001 |date=1 February 2001 |publisher=Rupa & Co. |location=Mumbai |isbn=8171675344 }}</ref> Traditional railway union leaders too were starting to get distant from worker demands and closer instead to politicians, thus leading to further discord.<ref name="pol1">{{cite journal |last1=Sherlock |first1=Stephen |title=Railway Workers and Their Unions-Origins of 1974 Indian Railways Strike |journal=Economic and Political Weekly |date=28 December 1996 |volume=31 |issue=52 |url=https://www.epw.in/author/stephen-sherlock |access-date=5 June 2018}}</ref> | ||
The spread of diesel engines and the consequent intensification of work in the Indian Railways since the 1960s resulted in continuous working hours being extended by days, creating much resentment among the workers.<ref name="wire">{{cite news |last1=Ramakrishnan |first1=Nitya |title=Remembering George Fernandes As He Was, Before He Lost Himself |url=https://thewire.in/politics/why-george-fernandes-is-a-force-to-be-reckoned-with |access-date=5 June 2018 |publisher=The Wire |date=3 June 2018}}</ref> The Railways, although government-owned, remained an organization in which the accepted worldwide standard of an [[eight-hour working day]] was violated with impunity.<ref name="pol2">{{cite journal |last1=Stephen |first1=Sherlock |title=Railway Workers and Their Unions-Origins of 1974 Indian Railways Strike |journal=Economic and Political Weekly |date=14 October 1989 |volume=24 |issue=41 }}</ref> When the crafts unions raised the issue, they demanded a 12-hour working day for loco running staff. This led to railway strikes by rail workers across the country in 1967, 1968, 1970 and 1973, finally leading to the 1974 strike which was participated in by 70% of the permanent work force of railways. This was not the first railways strike in India, the earliest having occurred in [[British India]] in 1862 in [[Howrah]], and a number of strikes having occurred in the private railway companies that operated in British India, most of them becoming part of the Indian freedom struggle.<ref name=a>[http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl1819/18190750.htm Chronicle of Strike] {{webarchive |url=https://www.webcitation.org/65tGZCXhi?url=http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl1819/18190750.htm |date=2012-03-03 }}</ref><ref name=b/> | The spread of diesel engines and the consequent intensification of work in the Indian Railways since the 1960s resulted in continuous working hours being extended by days, creating much resentment among the workers.<ref name="wire">{{cite news |last1=Ramakrishnan |first1=Nitya |title=Remembering George Fernandes As He Was, Before He Lost Himself |url=https://thewire.in/politics/why-george-fernandes-is-a-force-to-be-reckoned-with |access-date=5 June 2018 |publisher=The Wire |date=3 June 2018}}</ref> The Railways, although government-owned, remained an organization in which the accepted worldwide standard of an [[eight-hour working day]] was violated with impunity.<ref name="pol2">{{cite journal |last1=Stephen |first1=Sherlock |title=Railway Workers and Their Unions-Origins of 1974 Indian Railways Strike |journal=Economic and Political Weekly |date=14 October 1989 |volume=24 |issue=41 }}</ref> When the crafts unions raised the issue, they demanded a 12-hour working day for loco running staff. This led to railway strikes by rail workers across the country in 1967, 1968, 1970 and 1973, finally leading to the 1974 strike which was participated in by 70% of the permanent work force of railways. This was not the first railways strike in India, the earliest having occurred in [[British India]] in 1862 in [[Howrah]], and a number of strikes having occurred in the private railway companies that operated in British India, most of them becoming part of the Indian freedom struggle.<ref name=a>[http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl1819/18190750.htm Chronicle of Strike] {{webarchive |url=https://www.webcitation.org/65tGZCXhi?url=http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl1819/18190750.htm |date=2012-03-03 }}</ref><ref name=b/> | ||
Revision as of 11:13, 12 November 2021
1974 railway strike in India was a major strike by the workers of Indian Railways in 1974. The strike lasted from 8 to 27 May 1974.[1] The 20 day strike by 1.7 million (17 lakh) workers is the largest recorded industrial action in the world.[2] [3][4][5]
Reasons for the strike
The strike was held to demand an eight-hour working day for locomotive staff by All India Railway Mens federation and a raise in pay scale, which had remained stagnant over many years, in spite of the fact that pay scales of other government owned entities had risen over the years.[6] Furthermore, since British times the Railways termed the work of the locomotive staff as "continuous", implying that workers would have to remain at work as long as the train ran on its trip, often for several days at a stretch. The independence of India did not change this. The eight hour work day had not been implemented in Indian railways by the Railway Board, a quasi government bureaucracy despite having become a free country in 1947, this had led to dissatisfaction among labour, especially locomotive Pilots.[7] Traditional railway union leaders too were starting to get distant from worker demands and closer instead to politicians, thus leading to further discord.[8]
The spread of diesel engines and the consequent intensification of work in the Indian Railways since the 1960s resulted in continuous working hours being extended by days, creating much resentment among the workers.[9] The Railways, although government-owned, remained an organization in which the accepted worldwide standard of an eight-hour working day was violated with impunity.[10] When the crafts unions raised the issue, they demanded a 12-hour working day for loco running staff. This led to railway strikes by rail workers across the country in 1967, 1968, 1970 and 1973, finally leading to the 1974 strike which was participated in by 70% of the permanent work force of railways. This was not the first railways strike in India, the earliest having occurred in British India in 1862 in Howrah, and a number of strikes having occurred in the private railway companies that operated in British India, most of them becoming part of the Indian freedom struggle.[4][5]
As President of the All India Railwaymen's Federation, George Fernandes led the strike.
Culmination
The strike commenced on 8 May 1974. The strike was brutally suppressed by Indira Gandhi government with thousands being sent to jail and losing their jobs. The strike was called off on 27 May 1974.[11]
References
- ↑ Sridhar, V (15 September 2001). "Chronicle of a strike". Frontline. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
- ↑ "Welcome to Frontline : Vol. 29 :: No. 03". Hinduonnet.com. Archived from the original on 19 February 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
- ↑ "INDIA: Strangulating Strike". TIME. 20 May 1974. Archived from the original on 22 December 2008. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Chronicle of Strike Archived 2012-03-03 at WebCite
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Sherlock, Stephen (1989). "Railway Workers and Their Unions: Origins of 1974 Indian Railways Strike". Economic and Political Weekly. 24 (41): 2311–2322. JSTOR 4395459.
- ↑ "THE INDIAN RAILWAYS STRIKE OF 1974:A Study of Power and Organised Labour". Indian railway employee website. Indian railway employee. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
- ↑ Sherlock, Stephen (1 February 2001). The Indian railways strike of 1974: A study of power and organised labour Hardcover – 2001. Mumbai: Rupa & Co. ISBN 8171675344.
- ↑ Sherlock, Stephen (28 December 1996). "Railway Workers and Their Unions-Origins of 1974 Indian Railways Strike". Economic and Political Weekly. 31 (52). Retrieved 5 June 2018.
- ↑ Ramakrishnan, Nitya (3 June 2018). "Remembering George Fernandes As He Was, Before He Lost Himself". The Wire. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
- ↑ Stephen, Sherlock (14 October 1989). "Railway Workers and Their Unions-Origins of 1974 Indian Railways Strike". Economic and Political Weekly. 24 (41).
- ↑ "Looking back at anger". The Hindu. 6 January 2002. Archived from the original on 6 March 2005. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
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