KATHMANDU, Oct 19 : The All Nepal Trade Union Federation - Revolutionary (ANTUF-R), has drawn the attention of the authorities concerned by putting forward a 22-point demand for the rights of the workers.

Holding a press conference in Kathmandu on Wednesday, the Federation drew the attention of the authorities concerned by placing a 22-point demand for the rights of the workers. The demands  include  abolishing the syndicate system mentioned in Section 102 of the Labor Act and ensuring the representation of the workers on all sides, ending the labor, anti-worker contracting, wage and contract system.

Speaking at the press conference, the president of ANTUF-R, Binod Thapa, said that the big parties and the government remain silent even when the footpaths are oppressed in an inhumane manner, it is contempt for the workers. He said that the current big political parties are going to the people with small promises and they should not vote until they fulfill the people’s demands. He asked the workers not to vote for the leaders until they are properly managed.

He said that it was a tragedy that Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah was enjoying western music with his family while women were crying after losing their carts. He said that although there is a provision of no voting right in Nepal's constitution, the current ruling class has not taken it to the people.

Thapa said, "Even when the cart workers of any city and the sidewalks are being displaced in an inhumane manner, those parties are silent. He is excited about the election. Elections are in the air. The commitments they have made will be fake unless they fulfill the 22-point demand. The Federation  asked to reduce the 8-hour work period, give free education to the children of workers, reconsider the 70 percent fee, rather than manage housing for the workers. But there has been fraud. It is necessary to end the trends like Balen Shah, who dances with his family to western music while a woman sits in a cart and cries. We submitted the memorandum to the Prime Minister, the then Labor Minister. But they did not listen. Now they will hear from the struggle. There is a system of no voting right, but the then ruler did not bring it.”

In the program, Bimala Chaulagain, a footpath vendor, said that it is not appropriate to take away the business without proper management of those who earn in the morning and eat in the evening. He said that the problem of the metropolis will not be solved by taking away the livelihoods of others and said that Mayor Shah  is not the right person for the workers.

Similarly, Sunita Karki, another footpath vendor, said that Mayor Shah has disturbed the traders on the sidewalks. She demanded that the metropolis should ensure the proper management of the roadside vendors. Similarly, Sharmila Tamang, another street vendor, said that the metropolis should not overdo it without proper management of the workers as the carts are the only means of livelihood for workers like her.

The Federation has demanded that the daily wage system be abolished and the hourly wage be fixed at Rs 150 and the minimum monthly salary of workers be fixed at Rs 30,000. Similarly, their other demands include reducing the working period from 8 hours to 5 hours, arranging concession cards for workers, repealing anti-labor bills including industrial security, ending harassment and excesses in industries, factories, and establishments, fair management of sidewalks, roads, and self-employed workers.

 
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