Mumbai: BEST Workers To Begin Indefinite Strike From August 18 Over Unresolved Demands

Workers at Mumbai's public transport provider, BEST, are set to embark on an indefinite strike commencing August 18, 2021, due to a range of unresolved grievances. These include demands for salary adjustments, financial assistance, and the resolution of pension issues. The union's General Secretary, Shashank Rao, announced the strike will kick off at 11:30 am outside the union office in Mumbai. The ongoing protest stems from continuous calls for the resolution of various employee-related concerns.

The union's principal demands include the allocation of a substantial budget for BEST within the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) budget, the fulfillment of pending wage settlements from the periods 2016-2021 and 2021-2026, and adherence to the 7th Pay Commission recommendations and salary structures comparable to those of BMC employees.

Additionally, BEST workers are advocating for equal remuneration for wet-lease workers who carry out comparable responsibilities. The union has also highlighted salary discrepancies for employees transferred into BEST's electricity supply department in 2010 and 2024, calling for the rectification of these disparities and the implementation of a June 11, 2019 memorandum of understanding.

Further demands from the union encompass the provision of adequate financial aid from the BMC to maintain BEST-owned buses and address the undertaking's operational deficit. Workers are also urging for the prompt clearance of gratuity and other outstanding payments owed to retired employees. The strike is unfolding amidst persistent labor disputes within BEST, as employees continue to voice concerns about wages, retirement benefits, contractual employment, and the financial struggles of the undertaking.