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Rail commuters vent fury against politicians and unions
Scenes at Fort Railway station on Friday (above and below). Pix by Anurada Bandara
Angry commuters railed against the malfunctioning political establishment and unions that are continuing to agitate for demands, frustrated by the let down on Friday.
The overstaffed, politicised railway, which is incurring billions in losses, and the main doctors’s group halted work on Friday to demand the continuation of state pensions, nationalisation of the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine, SAITM, and the repeal of the controversial Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement with India.
A new pension plan was proposed by Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake who wants a contributory pension fund.
The Sunday Times witnessed crowds becoming frustrated as they struggled on to the nine platforms at the Fort Railway station. Only 20 trains operated and the overnight services were halted.
Whenever a train arrived crowds surged onto the carriages, the engine drivers cabin and the guard rooms while others clung on to footboards.
Commuters directed their anger against inefficient politicians and the unions for causing inconvenience. They blamed the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe Government for failing to stop the strike and for not resolving the SAITM issue. Unions were condemned for making unreasonable demands.
The General Manager of Railways, B.A.P. Ariyaratne said only 20 trains were operated on Friday.
“There are about 300 trains operating per day but due to the strike we were only able to operate 20. It was a pity to see people travel in the guard room and drivers cabin and footboards endangering their lives,” he said.
The strike was joined by the strongest railway unions, the Locomotive Operating Engineers Union, and the Railway Guards Association, who claim to have 6,000 in their unions.
Shelton Perera a state employee condemned the railway union for using travellers as pawns in their games.
Mr Perera also said politicians must resolve public issues and work to avoid strikes from taking place. “I have been standing at the railway station for an hour to catch the train to Puttalam,” he said.
Bhagya Bandara said voters should share the blame for the incompetent political class ruling the island. She said that the railway has no link to the SAITM issue.
S. M Farook, who works at the Jaffna railway station, said he was stranded in Fort from 9:00 am. “I have to reach my workplace at night to start work from the morning but now I have to wait for a train or a bus to Ragama,” he said.
Meanwhile, the general secretary of the Locomotive Engineers Union, D.H Indika said the strike went ahead as planned and limited the number of trains in service to 20. He said the union seeks to stop the new pension scheme.
The head of the All Ceylon Railway Union, S.P Vithanage, said that all the unions were supporting the action over the SAITM issue.
He held the Government accountable for causing the inconvenience to the public.
Another commuter, Nilani Jayampathi Pathirana, who was waiting for a train to Ragama said that the unionists are punishing the people.
She said that railway unions are politically-motivated and that the SAITM issue was not relevant to them.
Businessman Noel Fonseka, said doctors are endangering lives. Railway workers, teachers, and guards are following in their footsteps. “If this continues, the country will not prosper.’’
He said doctors and well-paid railway engine drivers have cars and privileges, but not the ordinary people.
Iresha Vithange, a student at the University of Moratuwa, said there were no lectures on Friday. She was forced take a bus to Gampaha.
She said striking over the SAITM issue was unfair and besides, the public did not create the university. “The tug-of-war between unions and the Government has become a burden on the country,” she said.
S.M Farook
Iresha Vithange
Shelton Perera