Mumbai: Grappling with massive deficits, the BEST on Thursday cleared a proposal seeking urgent financial assistance from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the state government to meet worker demands — with Rs 475 crore required to bring wet lease staffers salaries and benefits on a par with full time staffers and Rs 53 crore per month burden for salary revision of its own workers among other financial demands. The decision will directly benefit over 38,200 BEST employees.In a stark revelation during the meeting highlighting its deepening financial crisis, BEST admitted “it is borrowing funds to disburse monthly salaries to its workforce and does not have money to pay salaries from its earnings.”The transport division currently carries annual losses of Rs 2,500 crore, while Rs 1,500 crore is needed to settle pending gratuity dues against a BMC grant of only Rs 1,000 crore. While acknowledging in principle that workers deserve fair compensation, BEST general manager Sonia Sethi emphasised that fare-box revenue cannot bridge the gap as ticket prices cannot be raised indefinitely.In the comprehensive proposal which was cleared at Thursday’s meeting, BEST committee has recommended to the BMC and the government-appointed panel (set up after the recent bus strikes) that “the wage agreement be revised retroactively from 2016, placing employees in pay levels equivalent to the 7th Pay commission applicable to state govt and BMC employees, covering the period from 2016 to 2025.”Around 27,000 employees will benefit from this decision, incurring a financial burden of Rs 6,000 crore on account of arrears. “There will be a burden of Rs 53 crore per month,” an official said at the meeting.Another important point in the proposal was Equal Pay for Equal Work’ for ‘wet lease (contractual) workers — a demand by several unions during the recent strike and hunger protests. Around 9,000 contractual workers, which includes 7,000 wet lease bus drivers, are likely to benefit if this is implemented — resulting in an additional annual financial burden of Rs 475 crore on the undertaking.While absorbing casual workers into regular service with effect from March 31, 2016, the BEST committee has recommended granting ‘Notional Pay Fixation’ from their actual date of joining without any financial arrears. Around 2,200 workers will benefit from this decision, if implemented in near future, with an estimated financial implication of Rs 300 crore for the undertaking.Added a senior BEST official: “The proposal is now being forwarded through the recommendation of the BEST committee, via BMC to the study committee constituted by the state govt.”
