Mumbai: BEST Wet Lease Bus Staff To Protest On Feb 25, Demand Equal Pay And Job Security

Thousands of drivers and conductors employed on wet lease buses of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply & Transport (BEST) undertaking are set to stage a protest on February 25, 2025, demanding equal pay and benefits similar to those of permanent BEST employees. Workers engaged with private contractors such as Daga Group, Mateshwari Urban Transport Solutions Pvt. Ltd., BVG India Ltd., and others claim that they perform the same duties as BEST’s permanent staff yet face wage disparities and a lack of job security.

They are demanding the implementation of the "equal pay for equal work" principle, citing the continuous and essential nature of their jobs."To press their demands, workers will march to Azad Maidan on Tuesday, February 25, at 12:30 PM. A delegation will also submit a memorandum to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)" said an union leader.

Confirming the development, union leader Shashank Rao stated that most workers will likely join the protest after completing their shifts, ensuring that bus services remain unaffected.Currently, BEST operates nearly 3,000 buses, with two-thirds supplied by private contractors on a wet lease basis.