BEST bus service resume, workers’ union agree to 10-step increment

BEST (Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport) bus services resumed on Wednesday after Bombay High Court ordered the BEST union to call off their strike.

After agreeing to the implementation of an interim pay-hike for about 15,000 employees, the BEST workers’ union have agreed to call off their nine-day-old strike. 

The '10-step increment' will kick in from this month. The workers’ union also informed the Bombay High Court that it will call off the strike with immediate effect.

Among the terms agreed to withdraw the strike was the appointment of a retired high court judge who will negotiate terms between the workers’ union and BEST management.    

On Tuesday, the Bombay High Court had directed the workers’ union to take a final decision on the withdrawal of their strike.

This direction came after BEST management told the court that it was willing to implement the interim pay-hike for about 15,000 employees, PTI reported.

Meanwhile, commuters had to face hardships due to the strike, even as the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) deployed its buses to minimize their woes.

Over demands including pay hike, revision of pay grade for junior level employees, and merger of loss-making BEST’s budget with that of the Brihanmumbai Municipal 

Corporation (BMC), more than 32,000 BEST employees were on a strike since January 8.