Trade unions have decided to advocate for migrant rights by establishing a network in the country and abroad. We are exploring suitable measures to ensure migrant rights, said president of Nepal Trade Union Congress-Independent (NTUC-I) Laxman Basnet at a consultation workshop on International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 189, today. 

Trade unions will enter major job markets and build a working relation with trade unions or other civil societies there, he said, adding that trade union to trade union cooperation will be explored in foreign job markets to ensure labour rights. “We will build relationships with civil societies working for migrant rights in Gulf countries where trade unions do not exist,” he said. 

NTUC-I has already developed a working relationship with Nepali groups working in Qatar, he said. Now, we are looking for such a relationship with trade unions or civil societies in other countries. 

Similarly, the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT) has close ties with the South Korean trade union. Both trade unions have been maintaining a working relation with the Malaysian trade union.

About three million Nepalis are working in Gulf countries — Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman — and Malaysia. Nearly, two million are working in job markets where there are no labour rights for migrants. Therefore, their condition is miserable. Gulf countries have not accepted migrant rights as a fundamental right of workers from other countries. “Therefore, we will enter those job markets with a non-political agenda,” Basnet said. 

According to him, the trade union will raise awareness among migrant workers on their right to health insurance, equal and timely pay, and fair treatment. Then, we will start advocacy in collaboration with International Trade Union Confederation and other rights organisations, Basnet added. 

Domestic workers are in ‘slave like’ situations in the country and abroad, therefore, trade unions have decided to advocate for them, said vice president of GEFONT Hari Dutta Joshi. 

According to him, trade unions will start advocacy to ratify ILO Convention 189 in the country and build pressure in major job destinations. “We are exploring ways to build a network of trade unions of South Asia — India, Pakistan, Sir Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh which are major worker sending nations to the Gulf region.” 

Similarly, trade unions are also planning to lobby to build pressure on the government to sign labour pacts with major job markets which will include migrant rights and labour rights. Currently, Nepal has signed labour pacts with South Korea, Kuwait and Qatar. Saudi Arabia has always refused to sign a labour pact with Nepal and other labour sending countries of South Asia.

Published on: 28 June 2013 | The Himalayan Times