Mumbai: BEST to go on indefinite strike from August 6, staff demands new wages agreement

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Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport has recently seen a rise in passenger after the fair cut earlier this month. However, the staff union on Monday threatened to do on an indefinite strike from, August 6, 2019, demanding a new wages agreement.

The BEST Workers Union have also sent and official notice about the strike to the administration, to discuss and negotiate the labour issues with them. This would be a second strike from BEST this year after the earlier one in January.

The BEST Union leader Shankar Rao said that the Memorandum of understanding signed by BEST, and the BMC for hiring private buses in which the contractor will bear the cost of the driver and maintenance.

The BMC ha also assured to give 10 per cent hikes to the junior employees, which has also not been fulfilled yet. The demand for wages agreement has already been submitted on July 8, and four reminders have been also sent after that. But the administration has not given any response on it. So if the strike starts the BEST and BMC would be completely responsible for it.

According to MoU both the BEST and BMC has assured to maintain the bus fleet at 3,337 buses. The Pending amounts of the retired employees would be given by September 2019, and the employees who joined after 2007 will be given their 10 step increment according to the High Court order of January.

BEST is the second-biggest mode of public transport after suburban locals in Mumbai. Currently, BEST ferries more than 25 lakh commuters daily.