BEST Workers' Union on strike today

Representational image. AFP

Mumbai (Maharashtra): Mumbaikars will have to face problems commuting on 'Raksha Bandhan' as the local public transport division BEST Workers' Union is on a strike from today to press their wage-related demands. The BEST Workers' Union on Sunday threatened to go on a strike starting midnight of August 6, if the Mumbai Corporation did not render a written acceptance of their demands. "It is the responsibility of the Mahanagara Palike to give us a written acceptance of our demands. We are fighting for our rights. We work day and night; we must be entitled to our salary. We will protest if a written acceptance is not given to us," BEST Workers' Union General Secretary Shashank Rao said. "We are a force of 36,000 workers who are backing this strike. We have been in talks for three months, but there has been no proactive solution to our problems. We will demand what is rightfully ours," he added. All the nine unions of 36,000 employees have supported the decision. Earlier today, the union had a meeting with the Mumbai Mayor, who assured them of accepting their key demand of salaries being paid by the 10th of every month. However, the union is adamant to get their demands accepted in writing. About BEST: The Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) is the civic transport and electricity provider public body based in Mumbai (Maharashtra) and was originally set up in 1873 as a tramway company called "Bombay Tramway Company Limited". In November 1905, BEST set up a captive thermal power station at Wadi to generate electricity for its trams. In 1926, the BEST also became an operator of motor buses and in 1947, a week prior to India gaining independence, the BEST became an undertaking of the Municipal Corporation. It was at that time rebranded itself to "Bombay Electric Supply & Transport". With the renaming the city from Bombay to Mumbai, in 1995, the organisation was also renamed to "Brihanmumbai Electric Supply & Transport (BEST)". BEST now operates as an autonomous body under the Municipal Corporation.