The All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF) on Tuesday decided to withdraw its protest, a day after the agitating trade unions announced fresh protests to press the employers to raise minimum salary of workers. ANTUF had enforced the protest to pile pressure on the employers to provide at least Rs 1,600 per month as allowance to workers.[break]
Demanding minimum monthly salary of Rs 10,000 and daily wage of Rs 400, ANTUF, CPN-UML affiliated General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT) and Nepali Congress-affiliated Nepal Trade Union Congress (NTUC) are on warpath for the past one month, launching protest programs in major industrial hubs.
“We have positively taken the decision to withdraw shutdown of industries in Hetauda and decided to resume talks with agitating trade unions from Wednesday," Pradeep Jung Pandey, vice-president of FNCCI, told Republica.
Ramesh Badal, a negotiator representing GEFONT, said the unions have created environment conducive for talks by allowing industries in Hetauda to resume operation.
Pandey, meanwhile, sought greater role of the government in settling the dispute over minimum wage. “Instead of acting as mere observer, the government should play a proactive role for early settlement of the month-long row,” he added.
Purna Chandra Bhattarai, spokesperson of the Ministry of Labor and Transport Management (MoLTM), said the process to fix minimum wage of workers have been affected due to the Supreme Court´s order. “We had initiated the process of fixing minimum wage by forming a committee. But the apex court directed us to dissolve the panel after a case was filed against it,” Bhattarai added.
He, however, said the ministry was regularly sending officials to participate in the negotiation as observers. “We are ready to play a greater role in resolving the row if the employers and trade unions want,” he added.
The MoLTM had formed the committee on Jan 3.
Hetauda industries resume operation
(RAMESH KUMAR POUDEL)
CHITWAN: Industries inside Hetauda Industrial Estate that had remained closed for the past seven days resumed operation from Tuesday after local trade unions decided to follow protest programs formulated at the central level.
Demanding rise in salary of workers, the All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF) had shut down more than six dozen industries in Hetauda since March 8. Though two other trade unions -- General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT) and Nepal Trade Union Congress (NTUC) -- had supported the call for remuneration hike, they were against shutting down of industries.
Amid pressure from all quarters, the agitating trade unions on Saturday had directed the ANTUF to withdraw closure of Hetauda industries to pave the way for talks with employers.
“We opened our industries from Tuesday after ANTUF leaders agreed to organize programs in line with protest program announced at the central level," said Rishi Ram Ghimire, president of Makawanpur Industries Association (MIA).
Prakash Poudel, leader of ANTUF Makawanpur, said they withdrew the decision to shut down industries, realizing that programs launched against the policy of central leaders will not lead to fruition. “We decided to withdraw our programs as a joint program has been announced at the central level,” Paudel added.
The three trade unions had announced joint protest program on Monday. The program includes nationwide industrial and transportation strike from March 26.
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