Employers, unions reach deal

Kathmandu, July 28

Private sector employers and trade unions have agreed to pay 50 per cent salary of the lockdown period to the workers and other staff members.  

Employer’s associations – Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Confederation of Nepalese Industries, Nepal Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Nepalese Cottage and Small Industry – and trade unions affiliated to the Joint Trade Union Coordination Centre signed an agreement to settle the payment issues of the lockdown.

The FNCCI said in a statement that it was coordinating among the stakeholders to settle the long standing issue.

According to it, the agreement would be recommended to the government as the way out from the current payment problem gripping the business sector.

As per the agreement, the business and industries will pay the full salary for the month of Chiara 2076 (mid-March to mid-April) although the lockdown was executed from March 24, ten days after the beginning of the month. The workers will get the full salary of the closure period as well for this month.

Likewise, for the month of Baisakh 2077 (mid-April to mid-May), half of the salary would be paid, and for Jestha (mid-May to mid-June), full salary would be paid to the workers who attended the work while 50 per cent salary would be reimbursed to those not coming to the work.

Since the nature of all businesses and industries is not same, the employers and trade unions can further discuss on the matter for the mutual understanding, read the agreement.

Similarly, as the businesses have begun to come into operation the employers can call the workers on a turn basis, in different shifts, to the work and pay the salary and wages of the work days only.

The agreement maintains the assurance of jobs to all the workers associated with the business and industries.

The agreement is the result of more than two and a half months efforts by the government, employers and workers. The Ministry of Labour, Empoyment and Social Security had formed a trilateral task force to study on the matter and settle the issues.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 29 July 2020.