Mumbai: BEST Workers Begin Indefinite Hunger Strike Over Long-Pending Demands On Wage And Benefits
The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) workers have begun their indefinite hunger strike on Tuesday over their long-pending demands concerning BEST employees, wet-lease workers and retired staff. Strike to continue until demands met Union leader Shashank Rao asserted that the indefinite strike would continue until the demands are addressed. The decision of a strike was taken at a…
On Tuesday, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) workers commenced an indefinite hunger strike to protest their longstanding demands related to wages and benefits. These demands include the finalization of wage agreements for the periods 2016-21 and 2021-26, the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations, and equal pay for wet-lease workers.
Additionally, the workers are seeking the correction of pay discrepancies for those who were initially casual laborers in the Electrical Supply Department and later became permanent employees. The union leader, Shashank Rao, confirmed that the strike would persist until these demands are met. The strike was initiated at a union meeting held at Shirodkar Hall, Parel, on August 17.
The union representatives are also pushing for the merger of BEST's budget with that of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and financial assistance to help BEST maintain its bus fleet and cover daily operational losses. The strike began on August 18, and the workers' demands are urgent given that BEST is a vital component of Mumbai's urban transport system and its electrical division plays a crucial role in power supply across the city.
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