After a 3-day strike, BEST buses in Maharashtra are back on the roads today. The BEST Sanyukt Kamgar Kruti Samiti, a union representing 12 BEST employee unions, stated in a statement on Sunday morning. But what really happened? Read on to find out.
BEST Buses Call Off Their Strike After 3 Days
According to a Hindustan Times report, the union earlier stated that the protests would continue until the government provided a definitive agreement on their demands. On Sunday night, in a meeting with deputy CM Eknath Shinde, transport minister Pratap Sarnaik and union leader Sachin Ahir, the government granted approval to many of these.
The unions had put forward a series of demands, which included the incorporation of wet-lease employees into BEST, the purchase of 5,000 BEST-owned buses, fresh staff hiring, promotions for senior employees and protection of BEST properties from sale or long-term lease. Additionally, they are also requesting a merger of BEST’s budget with the BMC’s main budget and a payment of pending statutory dues to retired staff.
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The decision to call off the strike took place after the state government gave approval to important demands, including a monthly wage hike of ₹3,000 for permanent employees and ₹2,000 for contract-based workers, as well as the release of outstanding gratuity payments from the current financial year’s budget. It also promised improvements in canteen and washroom facilities for employees. Announcing the withdrawal of the strike, union leader Sachin Ahir requested that all employees immediately resume duties.
Talks On The Remaining Demand To Continue Over 15 Days
The committee said that discussions on the rest of the demands would continue over the next 15 days, while the Deputy CM has guaranteed that every effort would be undertaken to improve employee welfare and strengthen BEST financially.
The strike led to a significant increase in ridership on Mumbai Metro lines and added stress on the suburban railway network. Travellers reported long waits for taxis and auto rickshaws and higher travel expenses due to the lack of buses.
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On June 19, the first day of the strike, only 48 of 2,766 buses operated on Mumbai’s roads. The next day, none showed up. Several BEST buses were attacked by the trade unions to intimidate those employees reporting for duty.
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Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
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The "best" bus brand depends strictly on your region and the specific type of service (e.g., luxury touring, city transit, or school transport).