Flash strike by BEST drivers cause inconvenience to Mumbaikars
The BEST has a total of 2,800 buses in its fleet. Of these, only around 900 are BEST owned, while the rest of just over 1,900 are on contractual buses.
A one-day flash strike by the drivers of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply & Transport Undertaking (BEST) bus services operated by wet lease companies caused inconvenience to those relying on this mode of public transportation.
The BEST has a total of 2,800 buses in its fleet. Of these, only around 900 are BEST owned, while the rest of just over 1,900 are on contractual buses.
On Tuesday, a flash strike was called by drivers of the wet-lease operators, resulting in over 1,900 buses staying inside various depots.
The affected bus depots were Wadala, Mumbai Central, Backbay, Colaba, Worli, Anik, Deonar, Pratiksha Nagar, Shivaji Nagar, Ghatkopar, Kala Killa, Kurla, Dharavi, Vikhroli, Marol, Mulund, Mahas, Dindoshi, Oshiwara, Goregaon, Bandra, Santacruz, Malwani and Gorai.
Also Read | ‘Human error’ led to Kurla BEST bus accident: Charge sheet
The drivers congregated at Azad Maidan for a protest meet and march organised by Sangharsh Kamgar Karmachari Union to press for ‘Equal Work, Equal Pay’. Union leader Shashank Rao explained that they have sought better salaries for the drivers working for BEST, equivalent to the pay scale of the BEST on-boarded drivers.
Also Read | Where’s my bus? Stranded in the transit information void
“We presented our charter of demand for parity in the payment of workers to municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani and was told that he will let the BEST administration know about it,” informed Rao.
