Workers monthly pay hiked to Rs 8,000, new wage structure to come into effect within a week

KATHMANDU, MAY 27

After one-and-a-half month-long negotiations, a tripartite committee consisting employers, trade unions and the government on Monday agreed to increase the minimum monthly salary of workers by Rs 1,800.

After Monday’s agreement, workers’ basic monthly salary has been increased by 43.66 percent, dearness allowance by 9.44 percent and daily wage by 37.66 percent. Now, industrial workers will get a minimum monthly salary of Rs 8,000 — a basic salary of Rs 5,100 a month and dearness allowance of Rs 2,900. Earlier, the basic salary was Rs 3,550, while the dearness allowance was 2,650.

The Minimum Wage Determination Committee has recommended the new wage structure to the government for its final approval. The government is planning to implement the new wage structure within a week by publishing it in the Nepal Gazette.

The pay structure was last revised in March 2011 and was hiked to Rs 6,200 per month. Similarly, Rs 281 and Rs 158 had been fixed as the daily wage for agriculture workers and workers at tea estates, respectively.

As per the Labour Act 1992, workers’ minimum salary is reviewed every two years.

Source: Kathmandu Post