Rly union threatens strike

Threatening to go on an "indefinite strike", the All-India Railwaymen's Federation (AIRF) on Monday raised various demands, including review of new pension scheme and filling up of large number of vacant posts in the Railways. "We will conduct a secret ballot on Februray 11 and 12 to decide the date and future course of action (on strike)," AIRF General Secretary Shiv Gopal Mishra said.

Mishra said that if railway employees cast their votes in favour of launching indefinite strike, then we will go for it and accordingly a date would be announced. Currently, he said, there were about 2.5 lakh posts including those of loco pilots, assistant station masters and track men lying vacant in railways.