Unions did not pay heed to BEST’s poor finances: panel

Report submitted to High Court says workers are likely to strike again

January 18, 2019 12:57 am | Updated 12:57 am IST - Mumbai

Appreciation: Family members of BEST workers meet MNS president Raj Thackeray at his residence Krishna Kunj on Thursday, to thank him for extending support to the nine-day strike.

Appreciation: Family members of BEST workers meet MNS president Raj Thackeray at his residence Krishna Kunj on Thursday, to thank him for extending support to the nine-day strike.

The three-member committee appointed by the State government to monitor the red bus strike, has painted a grim picture of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) finances.

The panel headed by Chief Secretary D.K. Jain has said in its report submitted to the Bombay High Court that the striking unions did not pay heed to the undertaking’s poor balance sheet as they held the city to ransom for nine days before ending the strike on Wednesday.

“They (unions) want a solution in piecemeal manner. By not creating a congenial environment for a resolution of the dispute...we believe they are likely to strike again soon,” said the report based on the submission made by the BEST, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and the unions.

The committee submitted its report to the HC on Monday after meetings on January 11, 13 and 14, failed to find a final settlement between the stakeholders. The first meeting on January 11 was to hear the demands of the unions; these were later shared with the BEST and the BMC. “The BEST at this point insisted on the withdrawal of the strike as a condition for negotiations. The BEST’s view is instead of a an interim relief; full settlement be given,” the report said.

The BEST blamed the unions for bullying the undertaking and commuters. The report noted the BEST demanded that the unions withdraw all the complaints in the Industrial and the High Courts and never litigate in the future. “The unions must not litigate in the future on matters under reference thwarting revival of modernisation of the BEST to be able to provide people efficient services,” BEST chief Surendrakumar Bagde said in his submission on January 13. A total of four complaints pertaining to hiring electric buses on wet lease and implementing reforms like rationalising bus operations and staff be taken back, he demanded.

The meetings on January 13 and January 14 too did not find a solution to the impasse. The minutes of the three-member panel said, “The committee made every effort to bring a negotiated settlement between the two parties. However, this may take more time. In the interim, given citizens are inconvenienced, the court may consider directing the unions to withdraw the strike.”

The panel was informed of the BEST’s poor financial health with losses to the tune of ₹1,000 crore, outstanding liability of ₹2,436 crore, and requirements to raise a working capital of ₹200 crore every month. The BEST confessed in a submission the undertaking’s crumbling finances owing to depleting feet, declining services, non-use of technology, and no fund for capex.

The BEST said the unions have time and again thwarted reform efforts since the first proposal in April, 2017. When the tenders were called to procure buses on wet lease, the unions challenged this as well as the plans to procure electric buses, it said. “This despite knowing their demands would put an additional burden of ₹550 crore on the BEST,” a panel member said.

The BEST strike, longest in its history, ended on Wednesday after the HC appointed former Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court Ferdino Inacio Rebello as mediator to negotiate on the pending issues.

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