BEST union calls for strike

Fearing job cuts of bus conductors, BEST union has called for a strike on January 27. The BEST had launched a pilot project earlier in November, wherein it blocked the rear entry/exit doors in as many as 20 single-decker buses of its fleet. Makeshift doors are being installed in the rear gates which locks the doors from inside hence the passengers are tend to enter/exit from the front gate.

This has been implemented in buses running on route numbers 112 and 100 connecting Churchgate and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) with some of the key commercial locations of Nariman Point, Colaba and the Gateway of India. Two ticket conductors are deployed in both at the start and at the terminating bus stops. The passengers needs to buy tickets when they board on the bus from the starting point and those who board the bus midway can buy tickets once they get down at the end of their journey. However, those who board the bus in the midway may get down before the last stop which will result in a significant number of people not buying tickets.

BEST union general secretary Jagnarayan Kahar stated this is BEST's first step towards curtailment of staffers. “The BEST is going through immense loss, they are unable to pay salaries to a large number of employees now, hence they have adopted the first step towards curtailment of employees,” Kahar stated.

The union has called for a strike on January 27 and they will hold protest demonstrations at several bus depots and at the Electric house headquarters as well.

However, a senior BEST official stated the step is taken not to curtail staffers but to utilise maximum number of workers. “Usually more than 20 conductors are required on shift basis in this routes. By implementing this new rule the same work is being accomplished by 2 conductors only,” stated the senior BEST official.