Kathmandu, October 6:

All trade unions in the country will continue their protests against the government’s bid to amend the Labour Act through an ordinance, a trade union leader said today.

Khila Nath Dahal, the general secretary of the Democratic Confederation of Nepalese Trade Unions (DECONT), said trade unions all over the country are aware of the government’s conspiracy to take away their rights by amending and promulgating the Labour Act. He said the trade unions would come to the streets even on the day of Vijaya Dashami if the government introduced the ‘undemocratic’ amendment.

Dahal returned to the capital today after visiting various district-level trade union offices in Morang, Sunsari, Jhapa, Udayapur and Dhanusa.

“We held a series of awareness programmes in major factories and other institutions against the government’s undemocratic plan and have prepared the unions to challenge it,” he said.

“If the government brings out the Act we will have to take to the streets,” he said.

Three trade unions, GEFONT, Nepal Trade Union Congress (NTUC) and DECONT have been holding a series of protests against the government’s bid to bring about the ordinance.

Meanwhile, transport workers today organised a rally demanding the government ratify the ILO convention, 153, that deals with the working hours of drivers.

The rally that began from Kalanki converged into a mass meeting at Swoyambhu Chowk. Addressing the gathering, president of the Nepal Trade Union Congress, Laxman Basnet, said everyone should oppose the amendment to the Labour Act.

The president of Nepal Transport Workers’ Association, Ajay Kumar Rai, said the organisation is celebrating the workers’ day as a campaign to restore the rights of the trade unions.