Centenary Year All India Railwaymen’s Federation

Soon after the evolution of the Trade Union Movement in the world, several small union started coming up in the Indian Railways during the British Regime. The basic reason behind formation of such unions was serious racial discrimination being meted out to the Indian Railways Workers by the Britishers in respect of pay-scales and other service conditions as Indian Workers were being granted lower pay-scales than the pay scales for the Europeans and Anglo-Indians for doing the same work.

It was, therefore, felt necessary by the National leaders that, a Ntional Trade Union Centre needs to be established to coordinate with different shape during the British Era. Consequent upon this, the process of formation of an All India Body of the Railwaymen Started from the year 1922, and finally “All India Railwaymen’s Federation” was established on 24.04.1924 as a National Centre of the Railway Uninon functioning in different Railways in India.

The All India Railwaymen’s Federation (AIRF) has seen a distinguished line of presidents over the years. Notable figures include Venkat Varah Giri (V. V. Giri), who later became the President of India, Peter Alvares (1968–1973), George Fernandes (1973–1976), Priya Gupta (1976–1979), and Umraomal Purohit (1979–2014).

One of the most significant events in the history of AIRF occurred in May 1974 when President George Fernandes spearheaded a nationwide railway strike. This strike, which lasted from 8 to 27 May 1974, involved a staggering 1.7 million (17 lakh) railway workers, making it the largest recorded industrial action in the world. However, the strike was ultimately suppressed by the Government of India.

In 2007, the Indian Railways was compelled by court orders to conduct secret ballot elections for union representation across its seventeen zones. This legal intervention came after the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government unilaterally granted recognition to its affiliate, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, in 2002. The criteria for recognition included securing 35% of the votes polled or 30% of the total electorate in a given zone. The election results saw AIRF emerge as the largest union, securing recognition in sixteen zones, with four zones exclusively recognizing AIRF as the sole representative. The National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (NFIR), affiliated with INTUC, secured recognition in nine zones. In the subsequent elections held in 2013, AIRF maintained its dominance by securing recognition in sixteen zones, with five zones exclusively acknowledging it as the sole representative, while NFIR secured recognition in twelve zones.

Currently, AIRF is under the leadership of President N. Kanniah and General Secretary Shiva Gopal Mishra. Their stewardship continues the federation’s legacy of advocating for the rights and welfare of railway workers across India.