FNCCI, unions spark to the happy-hours deal
KATHMANDU, AUG 31 -
The long-standing row over workers’ salary is likely to be resolved soon with the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNNCI) and three major trade unions agreeing in principle to accept the government endorsed salary structure.
A meeting of the Central Labour Advisory Committee to be held soon will come up with a final decision in this regard.
FNCCI and the three trade unions—General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT), All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF) and Nepal Trade Union Congress-Independent (NTUC-I—recently reached an understanding to implement the new salary structure introduced by the government through a notice in Nepal Gazette on May 24, 2011. “We have reached a gentlemen’s agreement that FNCCI will implement the government-fixed salary structure and ask the government to publish an additional notice in the Gazette mentioning duties of workers and employers,” said Bishnu Rimal, president of GEFONT.
Both sides also agreed to urge the government through the committee meeting to incorporate other provisions of the 11-ponit agreement related to employers and employees’ responsibilities in the new Gazette notice. Rimal said they will demand the government to incorporate almost all issues, apart from the salary structure, of the 11-point deal reached with employers’ organisations on March 24, 2011.
Recently, FNNCI and three major trade unions had jointly urged the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management to call a meeting of the committee at the earliest to settle the issue. However, the change in the government pushed the work to this effect back as the committee is headed by the labour minister.
The government through a notice in Nepal Gazette had fixed the minimum salary at Rs 6,200 a month and daily wages at Rs 231. However, the employers’ organisations and the three big unions earlier in the 11-point accord had agreed to increase workers’ monthly salary to Rs 6,100 and daily wage to Rs 226.
In the 11-point pact, it had been agreed to mark the next four years has ‘industrial peace’ period, ban illegal strike in industries, implement no work no pay for provision to discourage strikes, downsize workers with the help of trade unions, if required, and form a standing committee to fix workers’ salary. After announcement of the new salary structure, employers had been saying that it failed to incorporate issues related to labour flexibility.
“Only the salary structure will be the same as fixed by the government. All other issues agreed in the 11-point agreement will be incorporated in the new provision through a new notice in the Nepal Gazette,” said a high ranking official at FNCCI. The official added that they would strongly put all the provisions in the 11-point agreement at the meeting of the committee.
The ministry has said that preparations to hold the committee meeting have been over and it is waiting for the appointment of a new labour minister. “We will hold the meeting as soon as the new labour minister is appointed,” said Krishna Hari Pushkar Karna, assistant spokesperson for the ministry, adding that agendas to be presented at the meeting are ready.
Source: Kantipur
The long-standing row over workers’ salary is likely to be resolved soon with the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNNCI) and three major trade unions agreeing in principle to accept the government endorsed salary structure.
A meeting of the Central Labour Advisory Committee to be held soon will come up with a final decision in this regard.
FNCCI and the three trade unions—General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT), All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF) and Nepal Trade Union Congress-Independent (NTUC-I—recently reached an understanding to implement the new salary structure introduced by the government through a notice in Nepal Gazette on May 24, 2011. “We have reached a gentlemen’s agreement that FNCCI will implement the government-fixed salary structure and ask the government to publish an additional notice in the Gazette mentioning duties of workers and employers,” said Bishnu Rimal, president of GEFONT.
Both sides also agreed to urge the government through the committee meeting to incorporate other provisions of the 11-ponit agreement related to employers and employees’ responsibilities in the new Gazette notice. Rimal said they will demand the government to incorporate almost all issues, apart from the salary structure, of the 11-point deal reached with employers’ organisations on March 24, 2011.
Recently, FNNCI and three major trade unions had jointly urged the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management to call a meeting of the committee at the earliest to settle the issue. However, the change in the government pushed the work to this effect back as the committee is headed by the labour minister.
The government through a notice in Nepal Gazette had fixed the minimum salary at Rs 6,200 a month and daily wages at Rs 231. However, the employers’ organisations and the three big unions earlier in the 11-point accord had agreed to increase workers’ monthly salary to Rs 6,100 and daily wage to Rs 226.
In the 11-point pact, it had been agreed to mark the next four years has ‘industrial peace’ period, ban illegal strike in industries, implement no work no pay for provision to discourage strikes, downsize workers with the help of trade unions, if required, and form a standing committee to fix workers’ salary. After announcement of the new salary structure, employers had been saying that it failed to incorporate issues related to labour flexibility.
“Only the salary structure will be the same as fixed by the government. All other issues agreed in the 11-point agreement will be incorporated in the new provision through a new notice in the Nepal Gazette,” said a high ranking official at FNCCI. The official added that they would strongly put all the provisions in the 11-point agreement at the meeting of the committee.
The ministry has said that preparations to hold the committee meeting have been over and it is waiting for the appointment of a new labour minister. “We will hold the meeting as soon as the new labour minister is appointed,” said Krishna Hari Pushkar Karna, assistant spokesperson for the ministry, adding that agendas to be presented at the meeting are ready.
Source: Kantipur
