BEST strike ends after Eknath Shinde’s intervention; bus services to resume in Mumbai

The three-day-long indefinite strike by BEST employees in Mumbai was called off after Deputy CM Eknath Shinde assured interim pay hikes and accepted some key demands during a meeting with union leaders.

Mumbai: The indefinite strike by employees of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking was called off on Sunday night following a meeting between their unions and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, officials said.

The strike, which had severely disrupted bus services across Mumbai for the last three days, was withdrawn following discussions chaired by Shinde with representatives of the BEST Sanyukt Kamgar Kruti Samiti, which was leading the agitation, and other stakeholders, they said.

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The meeting was held at the Sahyadi Guest House here.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sachin Ahir, who is also the coordinator of a joint action committee of BEST employees’ unions, made the announcement after Shinde said permanent and wet-lease employees would receive an interim pay hike of Rs 3,000 and Rs 2,000 per month, respectively.

Some of the employees’ major demands have also been accepted, Ahir said, adding that BEST buses would soon return to the city’s roads.