BEST union takes poll route to decide on strike

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Elec-tric Supply & Transport (BEST) recognised union in a secret ballot has voted that around 40,000 conductors, drivers and fitters, also known as foremen, should go on a strike. The strike will be mainly over unpaid salaries.

The BEST Workers' Union (BWU) on Wednes-day held a ballot in which 18,537 workers voted for the strike while 496 voted against it. A total of 19,094 employees participated in the strike ballot.

Union leaders have said they will sit with the joint action committee and come to a decision by Monday on when to go on strike.

The joint action committee is known as Sanyukta Kamgar Kriti Samiti (BSKKS) and has been formed by all major labour unions including BEST Workers Union.

BEST Workers Union leader Shashank Rao said the vote was carried out because many accuse leaders of pushing for a strike and that the conductors and drivers are actually against it.

He said, “A common public opinion is that the conductors and drivers don't want to for the strike and that we coerce them into it. That is why we decided to take a secret ballot by which every worker is independent of any pressure.”

He added, “The vote as you have heard has been 97 per cent in the favour of the strike, so it's the driver and conductor taking the decision about the strike.”

The workers whose salaries have been delayed for the past five to six months received their salary for the month of June on Tuesday. Despite this, there is a feeling among workers of being cheated and they are anxious over delay in paying their housing loan instalments.

It costs the BEST Rs 150 crore per month to pay the salaries of the drivers and conductors.