BEST Workers' Union Launches Indefinite Hunger Strike at Opera House

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Workers’ Union commenced an indefinite hunger strike on Tuesday at its office near Kennedy Bridge in Opera House, pressing for the resolution of long-pending demands concerning regular employees, wet-lease staff, and retired personnel. The agitation, which is being broadcast live on Facebook, could affect municipal bus services across Mumbai.

According to the union, the hunger strike began at 11.30am and will continue until their grievances are addressed by authorities. Union general secretary Shashank Sharad Rao stated that the agitation aims to secure long-overdue wage settlements, equal pay for wet-lease workers, and the immediate clearance of dues owed to retired employees.

“We have sought immediate payment of gratuity and final settlement dues to retired employees and implementation of the MoU signed in June 2019,” Rao said.

The union's key demands include the finalisation of pending wage agreements for the periods 2016–21 and 2021–26, alongside the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations. The union is also seeking pay scales on par with municipal civic employees, equal pay for wet-lease workers hired through private contractors, and the rectification of pay discrepancies for staff who were initially appointed on contract in the electric supply department before being made permanent.

Additionally, the union has demanded the immediate merger of the BEST undertaking’s budget with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's civic budget, as well as dedicated financial assistance to offset daily operational losses and help BEST maintain its own fleet.

At present, BEST operates approximately 2,800 buses across the city, out of which only 249 are owned directly by the transport undertaking. The undertaking has proposed adding 5,000 electric buses to its owned fleet in the near future, alongside 1,500 electric buses planned to be inducted under wet-lease contracts.