“We will not hold talks until the big-three trade unions fulfill the commitments they made while entering into an understanding on Thursday,” said FNCCI President Kush Kumar Joshi.[break]
On Thursday, the agitating trade unions - including the pro-Maoist All Nepal Trade Union Federation, the pro-CPN (UML) General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GFONT) and the pro-Congress Nepal Trade Union Congress, had agreed to defer their protests.
As a part of the understanding reached with all the stakeholders on Friday, ANTUF, that had launched the strike in Hetauda unilaterally from Tuesday, had committed to withdraw their protest. Following the understanding, the two sides resumed talks during which FNCCI agreed to hike the pay by 23.7 percent. Trade Unions too scaled down their demand to a 60 percent hike from the previous one seeking a cent percent rise on the present wage that stands at Rs 4,600 per month.
However, the situation took nasty turn after Industrial Labor Union, Makawanpur, a faction of ANTUF, refused to withhold the strike as promised.
“We are one of the 32 workers´ unions affiliated to ANTUF and, as far as I know, the federation has not asked us to call the strike off ,” said Bishnu Rana, president of the union, when asked why the union continued to strike.
FNCCI officials said they were shocked by the continuation of strike, which forced over 80 large and medium scale industries to shut down operations for the fourth consecutive day on Friday. “It seems trade unions are eager to apply pressure tactics. Our stand is that we will not negotiate under pressure,” said Joshi. He appealed the trade unions to adhere to the agreement they signed on Thursday, promising that FNCCI will resume talks within 24 hours if they do so. “If they did not listen, we will invalidate even the understanding reached on Thursday, in which we had agreed to resolve the issue of wage hike by March 14,” said Joshi.
Given the stand off, FNCCI appealed the government to take up the case now. Joshi criticized the government for being a dumb spectator, showing no inclination towards resolving the differences. “The whole industrial sector has plunged into crisis and the government hasn´t taken any step so far to bail it out,” said he.
FNCCI, however, lauded the workers of Morang-Sunsari corridor for deferring their protests till March 14. “Workers there abided by the trade unions´ commitment. Surprisingly, the workers of the same trade union (ANTUF) agitating in Hetauda refused to heed. What does that mean?” asked a member of FNCCI negotiation team, indicating that the striking ANTUF faction in Hetauda is not under control of the trade union.
An entrepreneur claimed the workers who refused to withhold strike belonged to Badri Bajagain faction of Maoist trade union who are only trying to confront the agreement that was reached with the faction led Salikram Jamakattel. “The split in UCPN party line is the main reason behind the current mess. How can we hold talks and reach a solution in such a situation?” he asked.
Related story
NTUC demand minimum wage of workers be determined without delay
-1200x560-1779450784.webp)
