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Workers want decent work‚ social security

Workers celebrating May Day asked for decent works and social security as major demands. We want safety at workplace, well-paid salary and social security, they said today in half a dozen programmes in capital Kathmandu.

Nepali trade unions are divided into 13 ideological groups but have similar agenda for workers.

However, their limitations on key issues are different from each other. “We are fighting to establish blue-collar work as dignified job,” said Bishnu Rimal, president of General 

Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT).

According to him, GEFONT is more focussed on social security of workers to reduce labour disputes which cause strikes and padlocking in industries. The government should introduce social security scheme for workers under the March 24 agreement between employer and major trade unions, he said.

Agreement between Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and three major trade unions Nepal Trade Union Congress (NTUC), GEFONT and All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF) had hiked salary of workers from Rs 4,600 to Rs 6,100 and also introduced social security for workers.

Eight trade unions had protested against the agreement from the second day and demanded a significant salary hike to Rs 10,000. The strike of trade unions affiliated with Madhesi political parties and two fractions of ANTUF had paralysed industrial production of Sunsari-Morang and Hetauda-Birgunj corridors for a week in late March.

However, the agitating trade unions agreed to hike the salary to the same level of Rs 6,100 in the talks with Minister for Labour and Transport Management Top Bahadur Rayamajhi on April 17. The agreement has hiked minimum wage in basic salary while prior hike was in inflation allowance. There was no provision of social security in later agreement.

Two different agreements on minimum wage are increasing tension among trade unions as well as employers. NTUC, GEFONT and ANTUF are standing by the March 24 agreement while trade unions associated with Madehsi political parties are in favour of the pact with the minister.

FNCCI and Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) have foreseen tension on minimum wages in near future. “We fear industrial sector will be once again disturbed on the minimum wages issue,” said Bhaskar Raj Rajkarnikar, senior vice-president of FNCCI. According to him, possible dispute should be solved in talks with trade unions.

Industrial sector is already suffering from power crisis and high interest rates and cannot afford labour strike again, he said. CNI’s National Employer Organization Chief Raj Kumar Agrawal said, “Employer and trade unions should develop social security as dispute minimising measure.”

NTUC and ANTUF are affiliated to the Nepali Congress and the UCPN-Maoist have backed the agreement with FNCCI, which guarantees social security. We favour March 24 agreement because it addressed our longtime demand of social security for workers, said Ganesh Niraula, NTUC trade union leader. Salikram Jamkatel, a leader from ANTUF, said that his trade union will not stop collective bargaining in the future.

We will not go for strike for bargaining but it will continue for the safety, salary and social security of workers, he said. However, trade unions affiliated to Madhesi parties have threatened to go on strike if the agreement with the government is not implemented. Agreement between the government and the eight trade unions must be implemented. If not, we will go on a strike, said Bindeshwor Yadav, president of Madheshi Trade Union Federation Nepal.

Published on: 2 May 2011 | The Himalayan Times

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