UTL staff launch protest programme
KATHMANDU:
Staff of United Telecom Ltd (UTL) have launched a fresh protest programme reviving the 14-point demand that they had placed earlier in July. Amid the management sticking to its plan to cut staff citing that it is facing losses, the workers’ union has given the management three days to address their demands.
The trade union — All Nepal Organisation of Bank, Finance Workers’ Union, UTL Chapter — on Monday, said that despite providing assurance of listening to their woes the management has remained silent. The demands placed forth by the workers include withdrawing the plan to cut staff, hiking salary and issuing appointment letters as per the labour law to workers working in the company for more than 240 days.
As per a press release issued by UTL staff union, the protest plan includes halting office work for four hours (10am to 2pm) on Tuesday and barring entry of CEO and CFO in the office on Wednesday and Thursday for four hours. Bikash Kumar Jha, president of UTL’s trade union said that if the management fails to address their demands by Thursday, they would launch an indefinite strike from Friday, also calling staff who work outside the Valley to the central office.
A month ago too, the trade union had organised a protest programme which had affected the company’s telecom service outside Kathmandu Valley, international gateway service and internet service. Later, the strike was called off after a three-point agreement between UTL management and the trade union under the mediation of the telecom regulator Nepal Telecommunications Authority’s Independent Employees Union.
UTL workers said that the management had not shown any interest in resolving the issues raised by the staff even though there had been an agreement to hold talks and take necessary decision regarding the 14-point demand within a week. The first private sector telecom company of the country, has been planning to lay off around 65 employees for the last five months citing losses and increased expenses.
The Himalayan Times tried to speak about the issue with SP Pachauri, CEO of UTL and Company Secretary Suyash Pradhan. However, they could not be reached. On Friday, the company had written a letter to Bagmati Zone Labour Office reemphasising the need to lay off workers and asked the office to issue a permit to do so. The letter undersigned by Pachauri said, “With additional loss of Rs 770 million in the last fiscal year, the company’s total loss has touched Rs 1.93 billion.”
Source: THT
