Mumbai: BEST wet lease bus staff seeks permanent jobs in civic-run transporter

A group of protesting employees of private bus operators contracted by Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking on Monday sought permanent jobs in the civic-run transporter.

Addressing a press conference, they said those who cannot be absorbed permanently must be taken on contract, adding that they sought samaan kam, samaan dam, or equal remuneration as BEST employees due to equal work they were putting in. They expressed confidence that Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde would fulfil their demand.

Since the past six days, some 7000 to 9000 employees of all private bus operators with BEST have been on strike, which will continue till the demands are met, Vikas Kharmale, coordinator of a newly-formed group of wet-leased bus employees, said at the press conference.

Such staffers were distressed since the last four years and the strike is the result of this unrest in their minds, claimed Kharmale, who is an employee of private bus operator Daga Group. Kharmale said they would not hold negotiations with the BEST administration but would seek direct talks with the state government, and a 20-member delegation has been readied if the offer for negotiations arrive.

Daga Group employee Paresh Temgire said as a driver he was promised a salary of Rs 22,500 per month, though what he gets in hand is just Rs 17,000, which is insufficient to survive in a city like Mumbai. The situation for us is very bad, said a distraught Mangesh Mohite and several others who are part of the stir.