Kathmandu, November 16:

Workers’ unions are holding the management of food centres to ransom. Due to pressure exerted by them, many food centres are forced to add service charge on over-the-counter sales though there is no such provision applicable.

Some food centres were found adding service charge on even bakery items which are take home stuff. Normally, service charge in food centres is 10 per cent of the bill for fare meant to be consumed on the spot. But the rule benders, aided and abetted by unions, have found a new way to con customers.

When approached, the management of ND’s Ice Cream and Fast Food Industries Pvt Ltd, Mahabouddha said, “Yes, we are a self-service food centre but pressure from the trade unions has forced us to add 10 per cent service charge. Now, trade unions have also started collecting service charge on even bakery items and take-home packs, in contravention of all rules.”

Management representatives said that they even published two notices highlighting the matter but the workers themselves began adding 10 per cent service charge on counter sale items like ice cream, sweets, beverages and bakery products. They are even using handmade

bills for it.

They rued, “If this continues, ND’s will lose its goodwill. We can’t shut down as there is too much investment at stake. Workers and trade unions are just not listening. We make just 3-4 per cent annual profit and it’s not much.”

Dharma Dev Kapadi, president of All Nepal Hotel and Restaurant Workers’ Association, said,

“Some months ago, much against our will we were hustled into an agreement with the unions

regarding service charge on bakery items also.” When asked about handmade bills handed out by workers on counter sale items, Kapadi said he was not aware of it. He added that it could be because ND’s management had not provided the workers with non-service charge bills of sale for counter sale items.

ND’s management scoffed at his claim, saying they had the software for both kinds of bills

but the workers themselves had opted to use handmade bills.

“Trade unions cannot impose rules on the company arbitrarily. Change in rules must be made after mutual understanding.Unions are not doing their duty towards society,” said Tejendra Nath Shrestha, president of Restaurant and Bars’Association of Nepal.