Ashok Thapa

The minimum wage of farm workers has been revised after three years. A tripartite meeting of the government, employers and trade unions held Wednesday at the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management (MoLTM) has set the daily minimum wage of agricultural workers at Rs 221 per day. Earlier, the workers used to be paid Rs 150 daily.

The meeting between representatives of the MoLTM, the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the Ministry of Industry, the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and three big trade unions including the All Nepal Trade Union Federation, the Nepal Trade Union Congress and the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions decided on the daily wage of Rs 221 which works out at Rs 27.62 per hour. 

With the daily minimum wage for farm workers having been settled, the prevailing labour unrest for a raise has come to an end. 

The government is all set to approve the minimum wage for tea workers. A tripartite meeting held a month ago between the government, the FNCCI and trade unions had set the minimum wage for tea workers at Rs 158 per day plus an allowance of Rs 12.

Agitating industrial workers had withdrawn their protest programme after a meeting of the Central Labour Advisory Committee on Sept 30 ratified the salary scheme agreed between the FNCCI and three big trade unions. 

“We have agreed to provide a significant raise given rising inflation,” said Manish Agrawal, vice-chairman of the Employers’ Council at the FNCCI, emerging from the meeting. He added that with the increment in the minimum pay scheme for farm workers, the FNCCI expected to see a rise in labour productivity.

According to entrepreneurs related to agricultural production, farm workers are being paid slightly less than factory workers as they are provided lunch and breakfast during their working hours.

Purna Chandra Bhattarai, spokesperson of the MoLTM, said that the months-long workers’ demand for a revision of their pay structure in the agricultural sector had been addressed. 

“The days ahead will see smoothness in the agricultural sector as the FNCCI and concerned trade unions have come to an agreement,” he said, adding that the government would soon validate the agreement by publishing it in the Nepal Gazette.

Trade union leaders have applauded the pact reached between the workers and employers. “Though belated, the FNCCI has finally increased the minimum wage for farm workers,” said Hari Dutta Joshi, vice chairman of GEFONT. He added that considering the way farm workers have to toil, the minimum wage was not fair. “However, as the farm sector has not been producing good returns, we will accept it for now."

Published on: 20 October 2011 | The Kathmandu Post