The agitation of the BEST employees in Mumbai is now going to intensify over the long pending demands. BEST Workers Union has announced to start an indefinite hunger strike from August 18. In addition to the current employees, the demands of wet-lease bus employees and retired employees will also be raised in this strike.
A demand to enforce salary agreements stalled for years
BEST Workers Union General Secretary Shashank Rao has announced this decision regarding the demands of the employees. The union’s biggest demand is immediate implementation of the long-pending salary agreements 2016-2021 and 2021-2026. Apart from this, there has been a demand to implement the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission for the employees and to give them the same pay scale as the Mumbai Municipal Corporation employees. The union says that for a long time these demands of the employees have not been properly decided, due to which now they have to take the path of agitation.
Also demand for wet-lease employees and retired employees
The agitation has also included the issue of employees of wet-lease buses run by private companies. The union is demanding to give them decent pay and other facilities under the principle of ‘equal pay for equal work’. On the other hand, timely payment of gratuity and other final dues of retired BEST employees has also been demanded. Expressing concern over the financial condition of BEST, the union has demanded immediate sanction of necessary financial funds for the running of the organisation.
The hunger strike will begin at the Opera House on August 18
According to the union, an indefinite hunger strike will be launched on August 18 at 11:30 am at the office of BEST Workers Union at 42 Kennedy Bridge in Opera House area of Mumbai. Shashank Rao has made it clear that the strike will continue until a decision is taken on the pending demands of the employees. The agitation is likely to rekindle the debate over BEST employees’ pay, service conditions, retirement benefits and financial arrangements of the organization.