After Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport positive steps, unions defer strike for now

The BEST administration has taken positive steps to sign the agreement. Hence, unions took the decision of postponing the strike.

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) unions on Tuesday postponed their indefinite strike till August 20 after the BEST administration took “positive steps”.

BEST unions postponed their indefinite strike . (Kunal Patil/HT Photo)

The unions had earlier threatened a strike from the midnight of August 6, as they want a new wage agreement for the period of April 2016 to March 2020. The previous five-year agreement between the labour union and BEST administration ended in April 2016, owing to which, the employees have not been getting salary hikes among other benefits.

After the recent fare cut, over 30 lakh commuters travel by BEST buses every day.

“The BEST administration has taken positive steps to sign the agreement. Hence, we took this decision [of postponing the strike],” said Shashank Rao, leader of the union.

The labour unions met the administration at Shirodkar Hall in Parel and took a decision after a two-hour meeting. They said the panel has agreed for five rounds of talks between August 9 to 20, and they have submitted the charter of demands. Once the negotiations are done, the unions will hold another gathering and take a final call about the strike.

Meanwhile, Amchi Mumbai Amchi BEST (AMAB), an independent citizens’ forum for public transport, said the BEST administration should make a proper financial plan, recruit necessary staff, revive popular routes closed earlier, launch long routes with dedicated lanes and not give BEST depot land to the builders.