A coalition of labour unions representing employees of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has warned of an indefinite agitation starting Friday if long-pending demands concerning wages, pensions, recruitment, and the undertaking’s future are not addressed by the Maharashtra government, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and the BEST administration.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, members of the BEST Joint Labour Action Committee said several unions had come together to press for solutions to what they described as unresolved issues affecting both serving and retired employees.

Key demands raised by the committee include merging BEST’s “C” budget (of the BMC) with its “A” budget, paying legal dues to retired employees in a lump sum, implementing salary agreements for 2016-2026 along with arrears in line with the 7th Pay Commission, and ending contracting in the transport and electricity departments.

The committee also demanded the induction of 5,000 BEST-owned buses, recruitment of additional staff, promotions based on seniority, and a halt to leasing or transferring BEST assets under public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements. Instead, it sought a “self-development” model for the undertaking.

According to the committee, representations regarding these demands have been submitted to the mayor, deputy mayor, municipal commissioner, BEST administration and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. It claimed that discussions had taken place at various levels, but no concrete action followed.

The committee explained that if the administration failed to make a decision by Thursday midnight, employees, retired staff, and veteran workers would launch an indefinite protest.

The committee argued that under the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, responsibility for BEST rests with the civic body and reiterated its demand to integrate BEST’s budget with the BMC’s. It alleged that several employees and officers who retired after 2016 have yet to receive their full legal dues, including interest amounts awarded by courts, and that payments made in instalments have not adequately benefited retirees.

On wages, the unions said that while an interim salary agreement was reached for 2016-2021, arrears remain unpaid. They further said a salary settlement for the 2021-2026 period, linked to the 7th Pay Commission, is still pending.

The committee also criticised the increasing reliance on contractual operations, alleging that privatisation and wet-lease arrangements have adversely affected workers and public transport services. It said that only 249 BEST-owned buses remain in operation, while contractors operate around 2,000 buses, and asserted that the city requires more than 5,000 buses to meet demand.

No leave during agitation: BEST

In response to the strike call, the BEST administration pointed out that transport and electricity services are classified as “essential services” under the Maharashtra Essential Services Preservation Act 2023. Accordingly, BEST General Manager Sonia Sethi approved a circular directing all departmental heads, including depot managers and divisional engineers in the transport and electricity wings, not to sanction leave from June 19 for the duration of the proposed agitation. The restriction, however, will not apply to employees seeking medical leave or in cases where the departmental head is satisfied with the grounds cited for leave.

The protest comes against the backdrop of the BMC standing committee holding back its Rs 1,000-crore annual grant for BEST after members raised issues related to rising accidents, fund utilisation, and unpaid dues plaguing the undertaking.