Mumbai: Even on the second day of the hearing in the Bombay High Court, there was no resolution to the simmering dispute between the BEST Undertaking and its striking workers. Nonetheless, the court refused to declare the strike illegal, as was being demanded by the BEST management and the State government. So, the strike entered its seventh day on Monday; the stalemate continues and the workers’ union is firm on its decision to not resume work until the management fulfils its basic demand of salary hike.
Taking note, the Bombay High Court asked the mediation committee to conduct a meeting on Tuesday morning and submit its report. “We want the committee to meet and prioritise the demands raised by the workers, as things cannot continue like this,” said a division bench of Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice Nitin Jamdar.
“Let the committee submit its report on issues raised by them (workers) before us in a sealed cover. We hope the strike will be withdrawn by then. If not, we will pass appropriate orders on Tuesday afternoon,” CJ Patil said. Meanwhile, Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni said if the workers do not resume work at the earliest, the government will have to take recourse to harsh steps.
“We are trying to resolve this issue with open minds. The workers have made their point, as well as the authorities; this court has also taken serious note of their demands. Still, they have breached the orders of this court and also the industrial court. So, now, if they do not get back to work, we will have to use harsh methods,” submitted AG Kumbhakoni.
During the course of the hearing, the bench was apprised of the fact that over 50 per cent BEST workers were drawing the same salary since 2009 and there has been no increment. “We want some solution to this issue. We will resume work only if this problem is solved. The BMC and BEST cannot blame only workers for all its losses,” submitted advocate Neeta Karnik. Karnik further said, “We admit we have been opposing the proposals for privatisation of BEST but that does not mean the loss is because of us.
BEST was once a best organisation, but BMC has brought it down to the level it is today.” The union’s submissions were vehemently opposed by senior counsel Anil Sakhre, who appeared for BMC. He said, “BEST is already reeling under a debt of Rs 2,400 crore and now, because of this strike, we are suffering a daily loss of Rs 3 crore. The workers have opposed every proposal to modernise the undertaking, so as to make it more commuter-friendly. We are helpless.”
Senior counsel Darius Khambata, representing BEST, urged the judges to declare the strike illegal, as it has no legal sanction. The bench was hearing a petition filed by advocate Datta Mane, highlighting the plight of lakhs of Mumbaikars, who use BEST buses daily.
