KATHMANDU, May 1: As laborers worldwide celebrated International Labor Day on Wednesday, laborers in the brick factories of Harisiddhi, Lalitpur Metropolitan City-28, rushed to work from early morning to make a living from their hard-earned daily wages. This bustling scene reflects the persistent challenges confronting workers in Nepal.
Sanjeev Shah, 28, from Bandargah, Bihar in India, working at Harati Mata Brick Factory, Harisiddhi, said that he left his home in mid-December to work in Nepal to support his family in India.
Shah has a six-month contract from mid-December to mid-June for working in the brick factory. He mentioned that over 500 Indian workers work in the brick factories around Lalitpur, with a monthly salary ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 35,000, depending on the hours worked.
Shanti Gandharba, 52, from Ghorahi, Dang, along with her two sons and two daughters-in-law works as a brick porter at Harati Mata Brick Factory. She said that she has been working here since 2073 BS. She earns a daily wage of Rs 800 for carrying 2,000 bricks, while her sons earn Rs 1200 to Rs 1500 for the same job. They expressed their plight stating that they were compelled to work in brick factories, putting their health at risk, due to the lack of better job opportunities.
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Bikash Maharjan, hiring manager of Harati Mata Brick Factory, said that the brick kiln workers come from Bihar, India, as they can work in extreme heat. He added that the factory employs 35 Indian nationals, while 150 Nepalis from Dang, Rolpa and Sindupalchowk work as brick porters. Previously, there were about 15 brick factories in Harisiddhi, Lalitpur, but only four are in operation at present. He added that these factories support over 1,500 households.
"Due to the lack of better employment opportunities and low wages, Nepalis struggle to sustain their livelihoods,” he said, "The government is unable to provide employment to its citizens, forcing them to seek opportunities abroad."
He added, “Despite Labor Day being a day of rest, laborers in the brick factories continue to work, relying on their daily wages to support their families."
Meanwhile, Min Man Tamang, 34, originally from Sindhupalchowk and currently living near brick factories in Sanagaun, Lalitpur, is awaiting an employment visa to go to Qatar. He left his previous job due to insufficient salary, which was not enough to sustain his livelihood. He stressed that unfavorable employment opportunities in the country compel Nepalis to seek job opportunities abroad.
These stories are just a few representative cases of the thousands of Nepalis who are underpaid and seeking hope in foreign lands. In the current fiscal year 2023/24, more than 450 foreign nationals received work permits in Nepal, while more than 300,000 Nepalis migrated abroad for employment.
Experts note that many Nepali youths migrate abroad due to limited employment opportunities domestically, with over 2,500 young people migrating daily for employment, both through institutions and individually.
Sociologist Ganesh Gurung, who is also a foreign employment expert, said that foreign employment is a compulsion for Nepalis. He expressed sadness that the government hasn’t been able to provide adequate employment opportunities within the country, forcing the people to go abroad for employment.
According to him, the migration of young manpower for foreign employment has been continuously rising. It is unfortunate that there is no system to stop and return those who have gone to work abroad.
Recently, the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT) released their Labor Audit Report- 2080 BS, highlighting trends in labor conditions in Nepal. The report indicated that about 21.7 percent of industrial enterprises in Nepal are not paying their laborers the minimum wage, marking a six percent increase from previous years. Despite the government setting the minimum wage at Rs 17,300 per month, implementation remains poor.
Sociologist Krishna Bahadur Bhattachan said that the youth who wish to work in the country are unable to survive because the institutions of the state are not functioning in a systematic and efficient way. He expressed that young people are forced to go abroad due to bureaucratic challenges and the increasing tendency for government-related delays and inefficiency.
