The NCO, a non-governmental organization that has been providing shelter to around 400 children from around the country, has been in dire financial straits for the last ten years. It has even stopped providing salaries to its staff since the last 22 months. [break]
An association of NCO employees locked 20 board members in the meeting hall of the organizations´ office in Naxal, Kathmandu. Among those locked are general secretary of NCO Krishna Dhamakar Shah and treasurer Manmohan Gopal Shrestha.
“We gave them many chances but they never showed any interest to fulfill our demands,” said Arjun Dhungel, general-secretary of the staff association. “We locked them as we were left with no other option to get our demands fulfilled.”
The staff association has put forth seven demands along with the release of salaries due over 22 months. They have also demanded salary increment and disbursement of salaries on the last date of each month, in line with the government rules.
Similarly, the agitating staff members have asked the organization to be transparent about funds and make public the information such as the source of fund, amount received and how the money is spent every month.
Other demands include, fixing the facilities to be given by the NCO, abrogation of all wrongful promotions and postings, special incentives for the residential staffs and making all NCO staff across the country permanent.
“Our demands are reasonable,” said Suraj Khanal of the staff association. “If the current management can´t fulfill our demands, it should be replaced."
According to Khanal, the board members have misbehaved and threatened the staff members many times. They said anybody who tried to remind the board of addressing their demands, was asked to leave the organization. “They have also promoted a staff to higher post going against the set rule, which is unfair to other capable staffs.”
The staff was furious against the board members for promoting one Pramila Shrestha to the post of deputy director. According to the staff association, Shrestha was appointed to the post flouting the rules because a person must have a degree to be eligible for the post but Shrestha is only inter pass. They said there were other capable and older staff who were more suitable for the post.
“Until our demands are addressed, we will not open the door. If they can´t address our demands, they should resign from their posts,” said Dhungel.
The NCO was established in 1964.
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