07 Mar 2005 -
International Railway Workers' Action Day

16:00 GMT (9 March 2005)

Ukraine The Trade Union of Railway Workers and Transport Constructors of Ukraine organised activities in cooperation with the State Administration and its regional offices.  Approximately 120,000 railway workers in nearly 30 cities and towns nationwide took part. In the run-up to the ITF Action Day, a safety month was held where the union and the management held joint safety inspections and  provision of special work clothes.  Track maintenance workers wore special jackets with "safety first" stickers.  On the Action Day the union held meetings with workers at freight stations, passenger terminals and depots.  Campaign materials were displayed in passenger terminals, depots and workshops.  Over 100,000 leaflets were distributed during the Day. Special announcements were made at rail stations. Each region published their own leaflet.  A social function was organised for railway workers with games and competitions to check workers' knowledge of safety rules.  Media coverage of the activities was good.

Japan KOKURO produced more than 100,000 leaflets and distributed them at 100 major railway stations nationwide warning the increasing number of rail accidents in Japan.

India In addition to the seminar on rail safety that the AIRF held in New Delhi, meetings, processions and demonstrations were organised throughout India including Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Jaipur, Hyderabad and other cities.  Umraomal Purohit, AIRF and ITF President addressed a large meeting of railway workers in Mumbai.

The South East Central Railwaymen's Union,affiliated to the AIRF, organised a massive meeting at Sanskriti Niketan, Bilaspur. Representatives from the Railway Administration attended the meeting.  Railway workers including drivers, guards and engineers presented their safety problems including long working hours due to staff shortages, denial of basic rights such as leave, non maintenance of rolling stock and unsafe working conditions. The management assured the union that railway safety will always be given prime importance and that all grievances would be given due importance.      

Australia Members of the RTBU South Australian/Northern Territory Branch held a march from Adelaide Railway Station to Parliament House to present their petition to the State Minister for Transport. Media reporting of the event was very good with coverage in both the television and written press.

Great Britain Members of ASLEF attending their union education course on globalisation in Sheffield have requested the ITF to forward the following message to the rail workers unions worldwide: "On International Rail Safety Day, we send fraternal and sororal greetings to all workers in and users of railway services worldwide.  We believe that as rail workers, we are guardians of rail safety and we will strive by all means to improve safety for users and rail workers worldwide."