Over 23000 BEST employees continue Mumbai transit strike defying court order
More than 23,000 Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) employees continued their strike across Mumbai for a second consecutive day on Friday, June 19, 2026. The workers defied a temporary ban ordered by the Industrial Court on Thursday, June 18, 2026, halting public bus services for lakhs of commuters and impacting the city's power supply system.
The strike saw widespread participation from drivers, conductors, and electricity department staff, as well as contractual wet-lease operator employees. The industrial action went ahead despite an interim order issued by the Industrial Court on Thursday evening, which temporarily restrained the BEST Workers Joint Action Committee and contractual employees from striking.
The BEST Workers Joint Action Committee stated that they respect the court's order but highlighted that the court had also directed the administration to discuss their grievances and find a solution. Action committee leaders said they have been corresponding with the Municipal Commissioner and senior BEST officials for three months without receiving a response, claiming the administration forced the workers into striking and misled the court.
The strike proceeded despite a split in the union. Organisations led by Shashanka Rao and BJP leader Prasad Lad chose to stay away from the agitation. Although Lad had appealed to employees to call off the strike and assured that transport and power services would remain smooth, most workers heeded the action committee's call, rendering his appeals ineffective.
Key demands of the striking employees include the incorporation of wet-lease contract workers into the core service of the undertaking, along with basic facilities such as gratuity. The workers are also demanding the merger of BEST's separate budget with the main budget of Mumbai's Municipal Corporation.
Additionally, the striking workers are calling for an immediate halt to the redevelopment of BEST's assets on a public-private partnership basis, and the lump-sum payment of long-overdue dues to retired employees.
While the administration previously approached the court to prevent the strike and the interim order remains in place, the action committee stated that its doors for talks remain open.
