Twelve unions affiliated with the BEST Joint Workers' Action Committee had announced plans to begin an indefinite strike from midnight after a meeting held in Dadar. The unions stated that they were compelled to take the decision because the management had consistently ignored several long-pending demands raised by employees.
Among the key demands put forward by the workers was the merger of the BEST budget with the main budget of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation. The unions also sought immediate payment of all pending dues to retired employees through a single lump-sum settlement. They demanded implementation of the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission and called for an end to the contract system in the transport and electricity departments, seeking permanent status for contractual employees.
The workers further demanded that all vacant positions be filled and insisted that the number of buses owned by BEST should be increased to 6,000. They also sought promotions for eligible employees and voiced strong opposition to privatisation and the Public-Private Partnership model.
Immediately after the strike announcement, the BEST administration approached the Industrial Court, which issued an interim order in favour of the transport undertaking and directed employee unions to refrain from proceeding with the strike. The court's intervention resulted in a temporary suspension of the protest.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government enforced the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act to ensure that essential services continue without interruption. With the law in force, the proposed strike has been declared illegal. The government also warned that strict action would be taken against any individual attempting to disrupt public transport services.
The Mumbai Police appealed to protesters not to damage public property and made it clear that legal action would be initiated against anyone attempting to interfere with BEST bus operations or other public facilities.
Not all employee unions backed the strike call. The Shramik Utkarsh Sabha and the BEST Kamgar Sangh announced that they would not participate in the June 19 protest. Both unions stated that discussions with the administration and the state government regarding several pending issues were still underway.
The developments underscore the significance of BEST services to Mumbai's daily life and highlight the continuing standoff between employee unions and authorities, even as legal and administrative measures have temporarily prevented a major disruption to the city's public transport network.
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