The management of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Shiv Sena-backed BEST Kamgar Sena to increase the wages of the BEST’s transport department employees on a par with the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations.
Several major BEST unions led by the BEST Workers’ Union had gone on a hunger strike demanding a new wage agreement, which had been pending since 2016. The BEST Workers’ Union is the largest union with over 15,000 members, followed by the BEST Kamgar Sena with around 8,000 members.
BEST officials said the increased wages may be reflected in the September salaries of BEST workers, which are paid at the end of the month, and will be offered to all unions from the side of the management. “Whether they accept it or not remains to be seen,” sources in the BEST said.
Sunil Ganacharya, a member of the BEST committee, said he had not officially heard about any MoU that had been signed and could not comment on it. “The question is where will the money come from? The administration should inform us on how they plan to finance the increased wage bill.”
