Kathmandu, November 13:

Members of the Nepal Independent Sewing Labour Organisation (NISLO) today stopped work after the Nepal Clothes and Sewing Entrepreneurs Association did not respond to their nine-point charter of demands. The NISLO had given an ultimatum till today to meet their demands, including providing identity cards to the tailors, compulsory appointment letter, equal wages for similar works, keeping records of the workers and attendance record on daily basis and increment in the wages according to the increasing dearness in the market.

Their demands also include maintaining cleanliness in the factory, facilities including communications, pure drinking water, appropriate toilets, weekly off on Saturdays or extra wage for working on that day and end of all kinds of misbehaviours to the tailors at their working places.

According to Dinesh Nepali, president of Nepal Independent Sewing Labour Organisation, the organisation was forced to go on the strike after all their attempts failed and the ultimatum furnished some two weeks ago elapsed today. He said some 250 tailors working at different tailoring shops in the valley have been deprived of their facilities.