Uddhav stopped CM from talking to unions: Rao

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Workers’ Union’s general secretary, Shashank Rao, has lashed out Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray for allegedly telling chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to ignore the plight of BEST employees. Meanwhile, lack of bus services will continue to plague commuters as the BEST bus strike will enter its ninth day on Wednesday.

Addressing a BEST e-mployees’ rally at Wad-ala BEST Workers’ Colony late on Tuesday ev-ening, Mr Rao said that unless he gets a written assurance from the authorities, the strike would not be called off.  

He also said, “I don’t think the reforms were given by the BEST or the state-appointed three-member committee. It seems that the reforms were suggested by Ma-toshree (Mr Thackeray’s official residence).”

Mr Rao said that not a single word has been said on the merger of the BEST budget with that of the Brihan-mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

He also said that the BEST would implement all economic measures. “I am going to si-gn a death warrant if the mea-sures implemented by the BE-ST will lead salary deductions or loss of jobs,” he added.

Mr Thackeray had suggested such reforms in the last meeting hence we left, he said.

The union leader also alleged that the reforms that were suggested would reduce the salaries of BEST workers and removal from the services will be done within a year time. “Nobody will be spared if privatisation takes place,” he said. The fight is going on for BEST workers’ survival and they are providing poison instead of medicines.  

Claiming that the Shiv Sena had reached “a new low”, Mr Rao attacked it for telling the BEST workers to resume work as the court has intervened in the matter. He appealed to workers to continue the strike for the sake of their families’ survival.

On chief minister Fadnavis’ lack of intervention, Mr Rao said that he learnt that Mr Thackeray had asked the CM not to intervene and advised against giving in to the BEST workers’ demands. Mr Rao also attacked the Sena chief for talking about the Marathi manoos (son of the soil) and then behaving in this manner.

He added, “The fight will co-ntinue. It will get more aggressive and widespread. We will do everything in a peaceful manner, however… We will not allow the BEST workers’ fate to become like that of the city’s mill workers.”

Close to 40,000 BEST employees have been on indefinite strike since Tuesday, as the BEST Sanyukta Kamgar Kruti Samiti (BSKKS), a joint action committee of labour unions, is demanding higher grade pay for employees recruited from 2007 onwards, the resumption of compassionate appointments and initiation of deliberations on the new wage agreement that was supposed to come into effect from April 2016, among other things.