The decision to announce the indefinite strike comes after the unions had gone on a relay strike starting August 1. (File Photo)
As the city celebrates Raksha Bandhan on Monday, brothers and sisters visiting each other may have to look for other means of transport as BEST buses will remain off the roads. Even as the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) would celebrate 70 years of being an undertaking on Monday, several of its unions have threatened to stage a protest against the undertaking for its failure to disburse salaries on time. On Sunday, city mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar tried to convince the unions to opt out of the strike. In a joint meeting, Mahadeshwar assured that the salaries of the employees of the BEST would be disbursed by the tenth of each month.
“We met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday to discuss steps which could be taken to prevent them from going on strike. They both have directed to disburse the salaries of the employees by tenth of each month,” he said.
The decision to announce the indefinite strike comes after the unions had gone on a relay strike starting August 1. They had to pull off their strike on August 3 after a member complained of health issues. The unions had demanded to increase salaries of the employees of the BEST and bring them at par with those in BMC.
“We want a written letter from the Municipal Commissioner ensuring the salaries of employees will be paid by second of each month. The parent body must take complete responsibility of the working of the undertaking,” said Shashank Rao, leader of the Sanyukt Kamgar Kruti Samiti of BEST.
Rao further added that they have lost faith in the assurances granted by the authorities of the undertaking and the corporation. Hence, they demand a written assurance of the same. “From midnight, we will stage a strike that will ask 33,000 employees of the transport wing to remain off duty. We understand this will cause inconvenience to the lakhs of commuters who may even want to use the services more on Monday as it is Raksha Bandhan. However, the authorities need to pay heed to our concerns as well. We serve commuters every day facing all odds and thus it is high time our concerns are met,” Rao added.
Employees of other unions from the BMC and autorickshaw sanghatanas could also join in later, Rao added.
“We want breathing period to be able to think and tide over the crisis of the undertaking. It is not possible to resolve the issues of the undertaking in a day. All our reforms will be aimed at the well being of employees,” said Mahadeshwar, adding that the CM has agreed to provide financial assistance if need be. “The strike will put commuters at great inconvenience. Though mooted to raise concerns, it must not see the fate similar to those of mill workers in 1993,” said A V Shenoy, transport expert.
The drama continued further on Sunday evening after Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta took an urgent meeting with unions of the BEST in the presence of Shiv Sena chief. While the meeting aimed at talking unions out of the strike, the negotiation failed. “We are going ahead with the strike. There will be a discussion with the Shiv Sena chief tomorrow, post which we will take a call,” Rao added.
Meanwhile, the state transport has asked private bus services, state transport buses, school buses, cars owned by corporation and goods vehicles to ferry commuters on Monday. Rickshaw and taxi unions have been asked to dedicate more vehicles and services on share routes.
This will be the largest strike of buses by the BEST unions after one staged in 2007.
