The stalemate between the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) management and the BEST Sanyukta Kamgar Kruti Samiti (BSKKS) continued on Wednesday, keeping the red buses off the road for the second day. Commuters had to shell out extra for the alternative mode of transport to reach offices, colleges, and schools.
The State government directed the BEST administration to impose the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA) on hundreds of striking employees and permitted private buses to ferry passengers.
The disagreement between the Shiv Sena-led BEST Kamgar Sena and BEST Workers’ Union led by Shashank Rao was evident. While the Sena leadership had issued a whip for 500 buses to be on the road, the members defied the command.
A majority of the 11,000 Sena members supported the strike with only 19 drivers and 14 conductors turning up for work.
Among the demands placed by the BSKKS is raising the grade of workers, who had been granted permanency in 2006. Around 11,000 workers were made permanent at a wage scale of ₹5,430, which was lower than the basic wage scale at the time: ₹7,930.
Mr. Rao said discussions on all issues are complete, but they are yet to receive a proposal from the administration. “This is a workers’ struggle and we need to go back to them with a concrete proposal. Only after we take their opinion, will we take a call to end the strike.” He also said Sena leaders have betrayed BEST employees.
Meanwhile, the impact of the strike was seen on roads where commuters had to wait in queues for hours to get autorickshaws. “On ordinary days, my friends and I take a bus or an auto, but today, there was no means of commute. And finally when I found an auto, I had to pay ₹40 extra,” 19-year-old Prashant Singh, a student, commuting from Kurla to Santacruz, said.
Another traveller Miten Khatau, whose daily commute from Walkeshwar to Loharchawl is a smooth ride in the red bus, had to pay five times more on Wednesday. “I usually travel by bus as it costs less. But today, I had no other option but to pay more just to reach my workplace in time. Travelling by bus costs ₹18, but I spent ₹90 today for a taxi.”