Report of Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC) correspondent
Workers of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) public transport buses in Mumbai went on strike from the midnight of 19 June 2026, under the leadership of the BEST Sanyukta Kamgar Kruti Samiti, which comprises of 12 workers’ unions. Workers and contract workers participated in this strike in large numbers. Nearly 99% buses were off the roads during the strike.
The main demands of the workers were:
- One-time settlement of crores of pending dues to retired employees
- Implementation of 7thPay Commission recommendations for the 2016-2026 period, and implementation of 8th Pay Commission when it comes
- Merger of BEST budget with BMC budget
- Absorption of contract workers into the BEST workforce
- Recruitment of vacant posts, including 3000 conductors
- Expansion of the bus fleet to 5,000 buses under BEST ownership
- Scrapping of privatisation and public-private partnership (PPP) models within the undertaking
It is important to note that BEST workers organized the strike despite the state’s attempts to throttle their struggle. On 12 June, the state government invoked the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA), declaring that BEST workers are providing essential services and thereby prohibiting employees and contractual employees from striking. Not only that, the BEST undertaking filed a complaint of “unfair labour practice” before the industrial court of Mumbai, seeking to stop the strike. The court passed an order dated 18 June, temporarily restraining workers from striking.
BEST workers have not been paid their dues since 2022. The BEST undertaking receives funds from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). According to a memorandum (No. Secretary/3573/2024 dated 07.02.2024) of the Administrator, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, dues and capital expenditures of Rs. 12,143.61 crores owed to BEST are yet to be cleared.
The BEST bus service carries around 23-25 lakh passengers daily. Yet, the undertaking has only 2,792 buses. Of these, only 243 are actually owned by BEST; the rest are operated on a wet-lease basis through private contractors. Moreover, contract employees working on wet-leased buses work long hours under stressful conditions. They are not given adequate training, leading to a high number of accidents.
Striking workers also demanded that wet-leasing should be scrapped, contract workers should be regularized, and the proposed sale and leasing of depots should be cancelled.
On 21 June, as a result of the powerful strike, the government was forced to accept the workers’ demands.
As announced by the Kruti Samiti leaders, the government has agreed to purchase 5,000 BEST-owned buses over the next 3 years. Funds for these buses will be raised via loans or through government schemes. Furthermore, contract workers who are currently working on wet-lease buses will be given some preference for working on the new BEST-owned buses based on age and tenure. Crores of dues of all retired workers pending till date will be cleared in the current financial year, with funds provided by the BMC. Regarding the merger of the BEST budget into the BMC budget, a committee has been established and all stakeholders’ views will be invited.
Union leaders also announced that the government has agreed to equal pay for equal work in principle and will investigate wage revision in the following 15 days. Meanwhile, an interim wage increase of Rs. 2000 will be provided to wet-lease workers. Discussion on the wage agreement of permanent employees will start in 7 days, and an interim wage increase of Rs. 3000 per month will be implemented.
The state uses multiple tools, including laws such as MESMA, to suppress workers’ struggles. In the case of BEST, by not clearing workers’ dues for years, the state has in fact denied workers their right to retire with dignity and also weakened their capacity to struggle. Despite such attacks, BEST workers bravely and unitedly organized a successful strike for their rights, once again showing the power of organized workers.