The sole producer of rubber products in the country including tires, remains closed since the last three days causing a loss of at least Rs 0.5 million daily to the ailing company.[break]
“The factory management promoted staffers who had just completed three years of service bypassing the older staffers who have already served for more than six years in the factory. We are exerting pressure on the management demanding the fair promotion process,” said a woman worker.
She claimed that older staffs were discriminated against while giving promotions and those close to the management were promoted. About a month ago, the management had given promotions to nine staffers.
Ishwar Pariyar, the president of Nepal Gorakhakali Rubber Factory Workers Union, said workers were compelled to launch protest against the management´s discriminationary promotions.
“We promoted nine staffs as per the set quotas for this year. We will gradually promote the remaining staff as per the factory rules and capacity in coming years,” said Dinesh Kumar Bartaula, general manager of GRF. Workers are demanding promotions for 50 workers but the management said it cannot fulfill the demand this year.
However, agitating workers are demanding that all 50 workers should be promoted en masse. Bartuala also claimed that workers failed to recommend to the management the names of workers deserving promotions.
“We had sought a name list for promotion by reconsidering the earlier promotion. But they have not provided us the list so far,” he added.
Local people had disrupted the operation of the factory for three weeks before workers started their fresh stir.
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