The Undertaking agreed to — by way of interim relief, give a ten-point pay hike to its employees from next month.
The Bombay High Court has asked the BEST employees unions to meet and decide on withdrawing the strike, which has entered the eight day after the Undertaking agreed to — by way of interim relief, give a ten-point pay hike to its employees from next month. The BEST has a staff of over 30,000 employees.
A division bench of Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice NM Jamdar said, "You cannot inconvenience the public at large. The court has stepped in and provided a platform (state-appointed committee) to redress your issues. Even the BEST management has, by agreeing to give interim relief, shown a good gesture; you should meet today evening and take a final call on withdrawing the strike."
Advocate MP Rao, appearing for the BEST, informed the court that as an employer it was willing to grant the increase in pay grade, from February, and no arrears will be given. It also said that once the final settlement is agreed upon, the interim relief will be a part of it.
Earlier, Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni had submitted a report of the three-member committee headed by the Chief Secretary, which recommended immediate withdrawal of strike, increase in pay grade, BEST management to introduce welfare/upgrading schemes to curb losses.
The court after going through the report told the BEST management "If they (employees) have gone on strike it does not mean end of the matter. They have to be brought back to the discussion table and issues need to be deliberated upon."
However, Rao said "Across the world public transport is run on wet-lease format. We are willing to talk but the employees are averse to the modernization plans, which will help reduce the losses. Thus we are left with no choice but to borrow loans from banks to keep the undertaking afloat."
Advocate Neeta Karnik appearing for the Union, also submitted a letter stating that employees were willing to participate in the upgrading process, and provided their jobs are not taken away. Even if buses are taken on wet lease basis, let our employees run them, why hire contractual employees. Even electric buses if we are given training can be run bus. At the moment we are running few, thus we have expertise but it seems the BEST management wants to privatize the public transport."
The court has now posted the petition filed by Advocate Datta Mane for further hearing on Wednesday, when the Union will inform the court about its decision."
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