Though labor problem is threatening industrial stability in the country, the concerned authority - the Ministry of Labor and Transport Management (MoLTM) - is still maintaining its silence.
Three major trade unions and Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) a few days ago had approached the MoLTM to resolve differences on minimum wage structure for workers. But the ministry is yet to respond.
The trade unions -- All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF), General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT) and Nepal Trade Union Congress-Independent (NTUC-I) -- on August 16 had threatened to launch nationwide industrial shutdown if the FNCCI failed to implement the government-fixed pay package and withdraw a case against the pay package from the Supreme Court within 15 days.
“The employers and trade unions had jointly asked the ministry to look into the issue by immediately calling the meeting of Central Labor Advisory Committee about 10 days ago. But the ministry is yet to respond,” an official of FNCCI told Republica.
The employers have lambasted the government from not learning from the closure of Surya Nepal´s garment factory. “We don´t know why the ministry is ignoring the problems facing the industrial sector. We don´t want other factories to face the fate of Surya Nepal,” a senior official of FNCCI´s Employers Council said. He also said majority of industries will be compelled to follow the footsteps of Surya Nepal if labor problems were not resolved at the earliest.
Infuriated at the ministry´s cold response, trade union leaders have said they would move ahead with the industrial strike as planned.
“We had given FNCCI 15 days to implement the government-fixed pay package and withdraw the court case against it. Nine days have already passed; it seems that the government and FNCCI officials aren´t serious about our demands,” said Ramesh Badal, secretary of GEFONT.
“Not only the government, the FNCCI is also equally responsible for this uncertainty.”
Though more than 50 percent of employers have already agreed to implement the government-fixed pay package, Badal said FNCCI officials were still reluctant to formally implement the new pay package.
FNCCI officials said they would implement the new pay package only if the trade union leaders agreed to implement March 24 agreement that among others include provisions like ´No work, no pay´, ´Hire and Fire´ and ´observing industrial peace for four years´.
Trade union officials, however, said they have not signed any agreement that compels workers to abide by the aforesaid provisions.
Meanwhile, Purna Chandra Bhattarai, joint secretary of MoLTM, said the ministry was holding internal discussions to call the meeting of Central Labor Advisory Committee.
“It is the supreme body to deal with labor problems and its meeting can´t be called in haste,” Bhattarai said, adding that the government was for finding permanent solution to the problem.
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