Meet the woman who stirred BEST’s drivers to strike https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/mumbai-woman-s-fight-for-husband-s-rights-triggers-massive-bus-strike-5-000-drivers-demand-better-pay-and-conditions-101691175418153.html By Shashank Rao
Aug 05, 2023 Meet Pragya Khajurkar, an RTI activist, whose spouse Raghunath Khajurkar works as a bus driver. The couple decided to inform other drivers working with wet-lease operators. Soon, messages about the strike began spreading via different WhatsApp groups, some in which even wet-lease operators were members.
. “Wet-lease drivers get monthly salaries in the range of ₹16,000 to 20,000,” said Pragya. “I put in an RTI" " about the contract between BEST and wet leasers .. Not getting much of a response, we decided to sit on dharna along with our children.”
As of August 4, more than 5,000 drivers have followed suit in the hope of improving their work conditions. The drivers claimed that the strike was not just about salaries but self-respect as well.