KATHMANDU, Dec 26: The two ruling parties, Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML, have reached an agreement to prohibit party-based trade unions among civil servants. This development comes amid ongoing discussions on the Federal Civil Service Bill in the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee under the House of Representatives.
During a clause-by-clause discussion on Thursday, NC Chief Whip Shyam Kumar Ghimire and UML Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaula both emphasized that trade unions should not be affiliated with political parties.
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The current provision in the proposed Civil Service Bill, specifically Section 131, allows for national-level trade unions, continuing the practice established after the Civil Service Act was amended in 2007.
This issue has been contentious since the 2007 amendment, which saw the establishment of eight national-level trade unions. The concern resurfaced during the discussions on the Civil Service Bill in 2023, leading to the current push for a single trade union system. If the Nepali Congress and UML continue to align on this issue, the Civil Service Bill is expected to progress smoothly.
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