Kathmandu, December 21:

Sipradi Trading Pvt Ltd, the sole distributor of Tata vehicles for Nepal, has remained closed since December 5, after Maoist affiliated All Nepal Auto Mechanic Workers Union (ANAMWU) padlocked its head office at Naikap, Kathmandu and 11 other offices including showrooms and service stations, demanding the reinstatement of its two dismissed members, who had not completed their probationary period. The company had dismissed Dipendra Regmi and Rajan Lama about a month ago due to their unsatisfactory performance.

According to Shambhu Prasad Dahal, vice-president (operations), both workers were terminated from their jobs as per the existing labour laws that provides authority to the employers to fire the employees not performing satisfactorily within the probation period of six months. The agitating union has put forward 12-point demands including the reinstatement of Regmi and Lama as a precondition for dialogue with the management.

ANAMWU’s demands include guarantee of trade union rights, appointment letter, end of contract system, provision of accide-ntal insurance and routine hea-lth check-ups, travel allowance and education for their children.

However, Dahal said that the company would not reinstate the terminated workers, as their performance was not satisfactory. “We are ready to sit for dialogue but cannot reinstate them,” he said, adding that the agitating workers have taken half a dozen vehicles of the company under their control.

According to him, the union has also shut down showrooms and service centres at Dhangadi, Nepalgunj, Itahari, Butwal, Pokh-ara and Hetauda from December 7. “Lately, they have started threatening staff at engineering and sales departments of their lives, if they go for work,” he said.