Trade unions flay pact to ban strikes in industrial corridor

Three big labor unions in the country have strongly criticized the decision to declare Birgunj-Pathlaiya industrial corridor a strike-free zone.
While Nepali Congress-affiliated Nepal Trade Union Congress-Independent (NTUC-I) and General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT), the labor wing of CPN-UML, have said the agreement was signed without following due procedure, All Nepal Revolutionary Trade Union Federation (ANRTUF) termed the agreement a ploy to weaken industrial workers. ANRTUF is the federation of workers supporting CPN-Maoist.
Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Bara Chamber of Commerce and Industry along with seven trade unions affiliated to different political parties had signed a 19-point pact in the presence of government officials on Tuesday that, among others, banned all forms of strikes in the industrial corridor.
“The agreement was signed without following due procedure,” Bishnu Rimal, chairman of GEFONT, said. “Even though our leaders have signed it, we won´t accept it.” Rimal further added that their local leaders might have signed the agreement out of naivety.
Laxman Bahadur Basnet, president of the NTUC-I, echoed Rimal and said the presence home ministry officials in the signing ceremony suggests that something is wrong as labor issues are dealt by labor and employment ministry.
Officials of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), however, argued that all due procedures have been followed while signing the agreement. “The agreement was signed to protect the dying industrial sector. All stakeholders have realized that strikes and bandas are costing our economy dear,” Ashok Kumar Vaidya, president of the BCCI, told Republica over phone.
Moreover, ANRTUF has launched protest programs to show its dissent on the agreement. “We have decided to erect black flags at the entrance of all industries along the corridor on May 22 and 23 if the government didn´t raise minimum remuneration of workers within a week,” Ramdeep Acharya, coordinator of the ANRTUF, said. “If our demands aren´t addressed, we will close all factories on the corridor on May 24.”
According to Acharya, his trade union had submitted its 25-point demand to the government on March 24.
Meanwhile, All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF) -- labor wing of the UCPN (Maoist) -- has welcomed the agreement. "If the government addressed our demand for salary hike and social security for workers, we are ready to signed such agreements on other industrial areas as well,” Shalik Ram Jammakattel, chairman of the ANTUF, said. "The agreement signed on Tuesday signals that labor unions are serious about the industrial situation in the country."