The agitating trade unions have demanded that the government revise the pay hike agreement and increase the workers’ minimum salary by Rs 2,000 a month. Earlier, industrialists and three major trade unions had agreed to increase the pay by Rs 1,500.

At a meeting held at the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management on Sunday, trade unions—Madheshi Trade Union Forum Nepal, Independent Democratic Confederation of Nepalese Trade Unions and Nepal Inclusive Trade Union Federation—came up with this demand. Their demand is also backed by leaders of the two factions of recently dissolved All Nepal Trade Union Federations affiliated to the UCPN-Maoist.

“We have demanded that the government increase the salary by Rs 2,000 per month,” said Bindeshwor Yadav, president of Madheshi Trade Union Federation Nepal. Yadav said the government and industrialists should also fix the daily wage at Rs 300 per day.

The increment of Rs 2,000 includes Rs 1,300 (65 percent) hike in basic salary and Rs 700 (35 percent) in dearness allowance. Three major trade unions—General Federation of Nepalese Trade Union (GEFONT), a faction of All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF) close to Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Nepal Trade Union Congress-Independent (NTUC-I)—and industrialists on March 24 had agreed to increase workers’ monthly salary by Rs 1,500, including Rs 50 in basic salary and Rs 1,450 dearness allowance. The agreement had also increased the daily wage from Rs 190 to Rs 226 per day.

Earlier, the unions had demanded a minimum salary Rs 10,000 per month. Now, if the agreement is revised as per their demand, workers will get Rs 6,600 per month. The trade unions’ other demands include provision of ration cards for workers, annulment of the ‘no work no pay provision’ and making permanent staffs or workers working continuously for 240 days, among others.

The ministry is scheduled to hold a joint meeting with industrialists and protesting trade unions on Monday. However, industrialists have been saying that they will not accept any changes to the 11-point pact.

“We will hold talks with both the sides tomorrow to solve this problem at the earliest,” said Purna Chandra Bhattarai, joint secretary and spokesperson for the ministry. The ministry has assured the trade unions of solving the problem by Tuesday. “If our demands are not addressed, we will again enforce the indefinite strike in industries,” said Krishna Prasad Subedi, president of Independent Democratic Confederation of Nepalese Trade Union. He also said their demands are not politically motivated.

Published on: 4 April 2011 | The Kathmandu Post