 Supporters of the strike have, however, claimed that cost-cut was mainly an excuse and that the real reason for the layoffs was to get rid of extremist elements in the railway union.A Madras government official noted that retrenchment was

On 28 June 1928, the Central Committee of the South Indian Railway Workers Union telegraphed the management authorities demanding their response to the union's petition to withdraw Circular No.202 dealing with retrenchment and a general pay raise for both skilled and unskilled workers.