It has demanded implementation of ´no work, no pay´ rule, punishment for workers who took managerial staffers into hostage, and assurance from workers on smooth operation of the factory.[break]
Surya Nepal announced lockout of the factory on Wednesday, following a clash between agitating workers and police. Police had swung into action after the agitating workers took 37 managerial staffers of the factory into hostage to put pressure on the management to pay salary for the period when they had shut the factory in the last week of March. They were exerting pressure on
“Though we have made our case clear, the workers haven´t responded,” Ravi KC, country manager of Surya Nepal, told Republica.
“We´ll resume operation once the workers express commitment to fulfill our demands.”
KC made it clear that the factor will not resume operation unless safe working environment is guaranteed.
Responding to the demands, trade union representatives said the management was imposing anti-worker policy in the name of implementing the no work, no pay rule. “The system is practiced nowhere in the world,” Bipin Karna of Madhesi Trade Union Nepal said.
KC, on the other hand, argued that garment factories across the world were practicing no work, no pay rule.
“We are entitled to receive salary for the days the factory remained shut as per the wage hike agreement signed at the Ministry of Labor and Transport Management,” Karna added.
Meanwhile, the efforts of trade unions affiliated to UCPN (Maoist) and CPN-UML to resume the factory have yet to bear fruits.
Tejlal Karna of Maoist-affiliated All Nepal Trade Union Federation said the talks are not coming to fruition as both the agitating workers and the management are refusing to budge from their stance.
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