Mumbai: BEST's electricity arm, railway union threaten to join strike

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The BEST bus strike in Mumbai is set to enter Day 7 on Monday with no agreement in sight between the agitating workers and the management of the civic-run transport undertaking. The issue will now be taken up by the high court as the draft of demands was submitted by the trade union to the court-appointed committee led by the chief secretary on Saturday.

If the issue is not resolved, electricity union members of the BEST Undertaking have also threatened to join the strike and as many as 53 per cent of the staff remained absent from work on Saturday itself. One of the railways' biggest unions, the National Railway Mazdoor Sangh, has also expressed solidarity with the BEST strike and promised to join their protests if the strike is not resolved by Monday.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said on Sunday that there was no point making allegations against each other. "The employees are getting wages as per the agreement signed between the recognised union and the management. The financial condition of the BEST is poor and I assure you that the merger of the BEST and BMC budget will be completed, but we must sit and talk for that to reach a conclusion. The matter is now in court, but I am always available to talk," he said.

Meanwhile, Ola and Uber aggregators have once again threatened to go on strike this week as their demands are yet to be fulfilled following their November strike. Union leaders will be calling on the chief minister on Monday.

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