Shekhar Regmi

Leaders of different trade unions today demanded resumption of Surya Nepal’s garment unit after the management decided to shut it down citing obstruction from the trade unions.

Speaking in an interaction in Morang Industries’ Oraganisation, Biratnagar, central member of All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF) Tejlal Karna termed the closure as ‘illegal’. “The trade unions will announce protest programme tomorrow,” he said. The irate trade union leaders also walked out of the dialogue claiming that management itself has padlocked the industry. Nepal National Garments and Textile Workers’ Union central chairman Dharma Sanjel, district and unit-level trade union leaders, Surya Nepal’s general manager Ravi KC and Labour Office chief Raj Kumar Gupta participated in the dialogue.

KC, however, said that the industry was closed under the Labour Act and the decision could not be withdrawn. “We were forced to cancel orders from our international clients due to internal dispute, which was the most serious loss as it will hit our credibility,” he said, adding that there is no use to run the industry that has lost all its market and credibility.

But he urged the trade union leaders not to spoil industrial environment in the area for it could lead to closure of other industries as well. The industry was padlocked from June 15.

Established in Tankisinuwari of Morang in 2004, the industry had provided employment to around 600 workers and was exporting about 85 per cent of its products to international market including India, US, EU and Canada.

On one hand, the troubled industrial sector’s contribution to the economic growth is declining and on the other, the employment opportunities have been squeezing in the country forcing the youth to go abroad in search of jobs in the international labour market.

Published on: 19 August 2011 | The Himalayan Times