Kathmandu, September 23:

Trade unions have urged the Ministry of Labour and Transportation Management (MLTM) to consult the Labour Advisory Committee before promulgating the Labour ordinance, the unions said in a press release issued today. In a letter handed over to the MLTM secretary, Purushottam Ojha, the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT), the Nepal Trade Union Congress (NTUC), and the Democratic Congress of Nepal Trade Union Federation (DECONT) protested against the bid to amend the Labour Act through the promulgation of a proposed ‘undemocratic’ labour ordinance.

Stating that the amendment will affect millions of workers, the the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT), the Nepal Trade Union Congress (NTUC), and the Democratic Congress of Nepal Trade Union Federation (DECONT) said the committee should be consulted before taking the move. “If the ordinance is promulgated without consulting the stakeholders, all the trade unions will stage a series of protests,” the letter forwarded by the three unions warned. The trade unions have unveiled their protest plans against the proposed labour ordinance which will take effect from next week.