Kathmandu, April 3:

Three trade union federations today staged a sit-in at ten labour offices across the country, demanding scrapping of the Labour Ordinance that allows a free hand to the management of private firms to hire and fire at will.

The General Federation of Trade Unions, the Nepal Trade Union Congress and the Democratic Confederation of Nepalese Trade Unions also handed over a joint memorandum to the Kathmandu-based Labour Office, demanding that their 10-point fundamental and 15-point sectoral demands pertaining to labourers be met forthwith.

GEFONT vice-president Bishnu Rimal said the three trade union federations gheraoed Labour Offices in Jhapa, Biratnagar, Janakpur, Birgunj, Hetauda, Pokhara, Butwal, Nepalgunj and Dhangadhi, demanding that the government scrap the Labour Ordinance.

Rimal said the ordinance was against the interests of labourers, who now face the risk of being hired and fired arbitrarily. The ordinance also allows the management to close down operations by just giving an advance notice to the Labour Office.

Meanwhile, leaders, former lawmakers, National Assembly members and cadres of the seven-party alliance staged a march in different us constituencies of Kathmandu district, calling upon people to take part in the strike slated for April 6 to 9.

In Pharping, alliance leaders held a mass meeting urging people to take to the streets against the King’s autocracy. The student unions affiliated to the alliance also took out a torch rally in Patan.