Trade unions had given a Tuesday deadline for employers to resolve the problem before announcing fresh agitations that begin the same day.
"We are compelled to announce fresh protests beginning Tuesday and go to the extent of a nationwide strike in industry and transport as employers´ representatives participating in today´s informal negotiations couldn´t give a decision over our demands," Ramesh Badal, a negotiator from the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GFONT), told Republica after the meeting. [break]
The CPN (UML)-affiliated GFONT, UCPN (Maoist)-affiliated All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF) and Nepali Congress-affiliated Nepal Trade Union Congress (NTUC) have been staging different stirs for more than a month in the major industrial hubs, to press for more pay as per the soaring inflation.
According to Badal, the fresh protests include wearing black strips around the wrist from March 15 to 17, hanging black banners at all industrial establishments from March 18 to 21, organizing corner meetings and demonstrations at workplaces from March 22 to 25 and enforcement of general strikes paralyzing all sectors of the economy including transport and industry, from March 26.
"Despite the announcement of fresh protests, we are open for dialogue to resolve the problem at the earliest. We urge employers again not to link central level talks with the ongoing shutdown in Hetauda, which was organized at local trade union level," said Baburam Gautam, vice-president of ANTUF. Gautam also said the employers did not seem serious on resuming industrial operations in Hetauda, though workers are ready to return to work.
The pro-Maoist trade union on Saturday agreed to withhold the strike in Hetauda, after Hetauda Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) assured it would take initiative to hike workers´ pay by Rs 1,600 per month.
However, factories in Hetauda remain closed as the Makawanpur Industries Association (MIA) refused to own responsibility for implementing the agreement reached Saturday between HCCI and Maoist-affiliated ANTUF.
Prashanta Pokharel, a negotiator from FNCCI at Monday´s informal meeting, said dialogue with trade unions failed as they couldn´t assure us of immediate withdrawal of the ongoing strike in Hetauda.
Pokharel also said the demand to hike pay by 60 percent is not acceptable given the adverse industrial climate. "We aren´t in a position to increase pay for workers by more than 23.7 percent," he said.
Political interference plagues industry: Joshi
TANAHUN: President of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Kush Kumar Joshi
has warned of nationwide shutdown of all businesses if the agitating workers don´t withdraw the closure of factories at Hetauda Industrial Estate.
Joshi said increasing political interference has plagued the industrial sector, creating an adverse environment for economic revolution in the country.
"Though the political parties are making commitments at different times for an economic revolution in the country, the industrial crisis has deepened due to politically motivated workers," Joshi said Monday while inaugurating the 25th Annual General Meeting of Tanahu Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Joshi also said workers are demanding an excessive raise as they are being instigated by the political parties. "Workers who are paid by us are not under our control because they are more loyal to the political parties than to their employers," said Joshi.
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