Mumbai: The BEST Undertaking Workers’ Union has announced plans to begin an indefinite hunger strike starting at 11:00 AM on Monday, November 10, 2025, at the union headquarters on Kennedy Bridge.
Under the leadership of Shashank Rao, the union has outlined several key demands to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and BEST management.
What Are Their Demands?
At the heart of the protest are three primary demands. Firstly, the union seeks an immediate halt to the wet-lease system in which buses and staff are outsourced from private contractors. The union argues that this model undermines employment security and diminishes service quality.
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Secondly, the union wants restoration of the self-owned bus fleet. It claims that the number of BEST-owned buses is rapidly shrinking and warns that by November 30, only 251 such buses may remain in operation. They demand a minimum of 3,337 self-owned buses and immediate financial support from the BMC for new purchases.
Thirdly, the union is calling for clearance of pending dues for both current and retired employees. This includes immediate payment of gratuity to retirees, establishment of a mechanism for timely future disbursements, implementation of the 7th Pay Commission, pay-parity with BMC employees, and regularisation of long-serving temporary staff in the electricity supply department.
Sources suggest that workers from wet leases may join a protest, potentially disrupting bus services in Mumbai. The union stresses that the BEST bus service is crucial for the city and warns that fleet reductions and outsourcing may threaten the daily commute for millions.
With the BMC elections approaching in January 2026, the union’s demands highlight labour issues in public-service discussions, challenging BMC and BEST management to address grievances raised during the hunger strike.
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