Conduct of Secret Ballot For Recognition of Railway Trade Unions

Conduct of Secret Ballot For Recognition of Railway Trade Unions

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

RAJYA SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 584
ANSWERED ON 05.02.2021

CONDUCT OF SECRET BALLOT FOR RECOGNITION OF TRADE UNIONS

584 # CH. SUKHRAM SINGH YADAV:
SHRI VISHAMBHAR PRASAD NISHAD:
SMT. CHHAYA VERMA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

(a) whether a secret ballot is conducted by Railway administration to recognise railway trade unions registered with it;

(b) whether the last secret ballot was held in April 2013 whose term ended in April 2019;
(c) the reason behind not holding secret ballot after expiry of term; and
(d) whether Railway administration is planning to end the secret ballot process forever?

ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMERCE & INDUSTRY AND
CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 584 BY CH. SUKHRAM SINGH YADAV, SHRI VISHAMBHAR PRASAD NISHAD AND SMT. CHHAYA VERMA ANSWERED IN RAJYA SABHA ON 05.02.2021 REGARDING CONDUCT OF SECRET BALLOT FOR RECOGNITION OF TRADE UNIONS.

(a) Yes, Sir. The Railway Trade Unions are, however, registered with Registrar of Trade Unions as per Trade Unions Act.

(b): Yes, Sir. Secret Ballot Election for recognition of Trade Unions on Zonal Railways was held for the first time in the year 2007 and this exercise was repeated in 2013. As per Final Modalities for holding of Secret Ballot Election, 2013, recognition of Trade Unions on a Zonal Railway shall normally be valid for six years from the date of grant of recognition by the General Manager of the Zonal Railway. However, the existing recognized Trade Unions continue to remain recognized till a fresh election process is completed.

(c) & (d): The process of holding next Secret Ballot Elections for recognition of Trade Unions on Zonal Railways has been initiated and the Modalities for such Secret Ballot Elections have been notified.

Source: RAJYA SABHA