Industrial Court saves the day, brings relief

The courts should be thanked for sparing Mumbai from a strike announced by BEST employees and its unions. 

The intervention of the Industrial Court on Wednesday evening ensured that the unions call off their strike. All through the day the meetings between the government and unions proved futile.

Sources said that the BEST Undertaking approached the Industrial Court seeking relief after their meeting with the unions failed. “We approached the court asking them to intervene. The unions have been asked not to go on strike. There is a hearing on the same on March 5,” confirmed Surendra Bagde, General Manager, BEST Undertaking.

The unions claimed that they received the directions from the court after their meeting with BMC got over at around 6pm. The unions agreed to this direction which spared the 28 lakh daily passengers from struggle who use the 3,310 buses of BEST every day.

“We respect the directions given by the Industrial Court and called off the strike. But the court has asked the BEST not to go ahead with tendering work for wet-lease of buses until the hearing on March 5,” said Shashank Rao, President, BEST Workers Union.