Mumbai’s bus network operated without disruption on Tuesday after members of the BEST Workers Union began an indefinite hunger strike to press for long-pending employee demands. Official figures showed no drop in the number of BEST-owned or wet-lease buses on the road compared with the previous day; in fact, 13 additional buses were deployed.
Union secretary Shashank Rao explained that the decision to stage a hunger strike rather than a full work stoppage was deliberate. “We started the hunger strike instead of a strike because we did not want to trouble Mumbaikars,” he said. “That is why there has been no impact on the bus turnout position. I asked the employees to ensure that no trouble is caused to Mumbaikars.”
The protest began at 11.30 am at the union’s office near Kennedy Bridge in Opera House. Key demands include settlement of wage agreements covering 2016-21 and 2021-26, implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations, and parity of pay scales with Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation staff. The union is also seeking equal remuneration for wet-lease workers and correction of pay anomalies for employees who began as casual labourers and were later made permanent.
Additional points raised by the union cover the merger of BEST’s budget with that of the municipal corporation, financial support to keep BEST-owned buses in service, prompt payment of gratuity and final dues to retired staff, and implementation of a memorandum of understanding signed on 11 June 2019. Union leaders have stated that the agitation will continue until these issues are resolved.
BEST officials confirmed that both owned and contracted bus fleets maintained or improved their previous day’s turnout, underscoring that the form of protest chosen by the workers has so far spared daily commuters any inconvenience.
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