Administration to issue suspension order to employees on strike

Mumbai, Apr 19 (UNI) The BEST Administration will issue suspension orders to its employees' today, who have joined the 72 hours strike called by BEST workers' union from last midnight, to press their long pending demands including pay revision.

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking spokesperson N A Walwalkar told UNI over phone ''Management has already taken the decision to issue suspension order to all the employees'' who have joined the strike.'' Mr Walwalkar said only six buses were flying on the road-two in 273 routes and four in 165 routes out of a total of 3,391 buses.

''We have asked the ST (State Transport) authority to fly their buses on local routes for the passengers,'' he said.

However, he did not have any idea whether ST is running any bus in the city or not.

Meanwhile, taxi and autorickshaws are charging double fare from passengers as compared to usual fare for the same distance.

Daily more than 41 lakh passengers travel by BEST buses and due to the strike today, they have to face a tough-time. BEST administration has to suffer an estimated loss of Rs 10 crore.

On being asked about any plan to recruit new drivers, he said if strike continues we will have to recruit them.

The BEST Workers' union have unanimously decided to go on strike for 72 hours from last midnight to press for their long-pending demands, which includes a revision of the pay scale, an interim dearness allowance till the signing of the new wage agreement, and payment of bonus and incentives.

This decision was taken following several rounds of meetings held with the BEST administration over these demands, but the negotiations had remained inconclusive.

UNI