BEST unions threaten Mumbai bus strike from June 19 over pay and budget merger

The BEST Sanyukt Kamgar Kruti Samiti has threatened to launch a strike of staffers, including bus operators, across Mumbai starting June 19. The union announced this ultimatum during a media conference on Tuesday, warning of widespread disruptions to the city's public transport system if their demands are not met.

The union is demanding that the civic administration deliver a comprehensive settlement addressing long-pending issues in both the transport and electricity divisions of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking.

A key demand of the striking union is the merger of the BEST budget with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) budget. Union leaders argue this merger is necessary to stabilize the transport provider's financial situation.

In addition to the budget merger, the union is calling for the procurement of 5,000 BEST-owned buses to bolster the public transport fleet. They are also demanding that contractual drivers be absorbed into the organization as full-time staffers, which would grant them higher pay and access to better facilities.

The union has also highlighted the plight of retired employees, demanding that their pending dues be settled at the earliest opportunity.

According to union representatives, the decision to call for a strike follows prolonged inaction on unresolved issues. These include delayed salaries, unpaid arrears, inadequate employee welfare measures, and poor service conditions. These issues have impacted permanent, contractual, and casual workers alike.

Uday Ambonkar, the general secretary of the BEST Karmachari Sena, emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that the civic administration must address these grievances.

If the strike proceeds on June 19, it is expected to cause significant disruption to daily commuters who rely on the public bus network in Mumbai, placing intense pressure on local municipal authorities to resolve the labor dispute.