Title - SRMU wins rail union polls

Gets 3,998 of the 7,340 votes cast by railway staff

The Southern Railway Mazdoor Union (SRMU) has emerged victorious in the election for recognition of unions by the Railway Board in the Madurai Division.The poll was conducted by a secret ballot held at 14 places in the division over three days from April 25.Out of the 7,756 railway Group III and Group IV employees eligible to exercise their franchise, 7,411 turned up for voting.The counting of votes was taken up on Thursday by Additional Divisional Railway Manager and Presiding Officer V. Ajith Kumar.While SRMU polled 3,998 of the 7,340 valid votes, the other major contenders, Dakshin Railway Employees Union, got 1,774 votes, and Southern Railway Employees Sangh 1,372.SRMU divisional secretary J.M. Rafi said the 54 per cent of votes the union got in the division was the reflection of the recognition of the union by the employees for its fight for the rights of the employees in the last five years."We fought for implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission and for the rectification of anomalies in it," he said.The union members celebrated the victory by bursting crackers at the Divisional Office premises.