Old Pension Scheme Demand: All Train service will stop from May 1

In a significant development, various unions representing railway employees have come together under the banner of the Joint Forum for Restoration of Old Pension Scheme (JFROPS), They have threatened to suspend all train services across the country from May 1. Old Pension Scheme Demand: All Train service will stop from May 1.

The ultimatum came in response to their demand for restoration of the ‘Defined Guaranteed Old Pension Scheme’ in place of the existing ‘New Pension Scheme’, which has threatened to suspend train services.

General Secretary of All India Railwaymen’s Federation Shiv Gopal Mishra expressed displeasure at the government’s non-committal stance on their demand. “Now, there is no alternative option to direct action,” said Mishra. He revealed that representatives of various unions within JFROPS have collectively agreed to issue an official notice to the Ministry of Railways on March 19, notifying them of the proposed nationwide strike to begin on May 1, 2024 International Labour Day.

Mishra highlighted that several unions representing government employees outside the railway sector affiliated with JFROPS are ready to join the strike in solidarity with their railway counterparts. The platform statement urged all the constituent organizations to take necessary steps and make preparations to issue strike notices to their respective administrations in an appropriate manner.

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Arguing that the old Pension Scheme (OPS) was designed in the interest of workers, Mishra emphasized that the new pension scheme has failed to safeguard the welfare of employees. Unions stand united in their demand that the government should heed their call to restore the old pension scheme to ensure the welfare of employees.

While the Congress is in favour of the old pension scheme, experts and economists believe that the central government should not bring it back as it will increase the burden on the exchequer.

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Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan had recently criticized the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh for implementing an Old pension scheme in the state last year. He called the plan “poorly directed” because it targeted a sector that was already relatively stable financially.