The resolutions being passed by the national meets of the party-affiliated trade unions are not completely new, but passing them at repeated conferences indicates non-implementation at the state level. Thus, the trade unions need to put pressure on the political parties to represent workers
The current government has held the local election amid doubts over whether it would be held or not. Except for Budhiganga Rural Municipality of Bajura district, the election in753 municipalities was completed on May 13, and the capacity of the respective parties has already been mandated by the voters.
The defeat of some orthodox but well-branded election symbols in some key locations has forced the parties to think why this has happened. The defeat of such traditional symbols has given the message that we the present generation are not compelled to follow the direction of such parties anymore, and that the parties should now give the opportunity to the new generation at every level of policy-making.
While the parties were fielding candidates, some activists in the labour sector also got an opportunity to be nominated and get elected as well even though there were no reservations for them. This should help labour issues to come to the limelight.
For a long time now, the parties have been neglecting to implement the voices of the workers, who are demanding that there be a 10 percent representation of the workers in policy-making at every level.
However, now that some have been elected from the labour sector to the posts of members and chief of the local levels will definitely help in exposing the problems of the workers.
The labour movement has been going on in Nepal for a long time now. The significant contribution made by the workers in establishing the republic during the people's movement is not hidden from anyone. It is not clear why the parties have been stingy in keeping the workers at the policy-making level in their constitution.
As a recent example, even the Maoist party president, Prachanda, who considers himself the messiah of the proletariat, made a commitment at a meeting of the trade union last September to have a 10 percent representation of the workers in every structure of the party, starting from its central committee, but failed to come through his commitment while implementing it. This is an example of the tendency of the party leaders to show commitment but back out during its implementation. However, the CPN (UML) seems to have institutionally represented some of its MPs in the federal and provincial parliaments from its trade union.
In the local level elections, the parties included labour issues in their election manifestos. Accordingly, the Nepali Congress and the UML included almost similar issues in them. There is talk of guaranteeing minimum wages, implementing contribution-based social security, and registering workers at the local level.
Similarly, it has been mentioned that the Nepali Congress will form a Labour Advisory Council under the chairmanship of the chief of each local level with representatives of labour organisations and employers. It remains to be seen how the parties will implement the commitments made in the manifesto through their local governments.
The main objective of any party is to make the country prosperous by eradicating poverty, as the country cannot do so unless there is economic and social transformation in the standard of living of the workers working in the in formal sector.
It is important for the political parties to keep in mind data made available by the Labour Survey 2017- 2018, which shows that there are more than 7 million workers in the country, with more than 5.9 million working in the informal sector alone. That number has definitely increased over the years. It is said that about 600,000 new workers enter the labour market of Nepal every year.
Currently, all local levels should be focused on registering workers in the informal sector and issuing identity cards, guaranteeing minimum wages, setting up labour help desks, arranging contribution-based social security for them, and forming a Labor Advisory Council representing both the employers and workers under the chairmanship of the municipality head. It is advisable to form such a council as per the manifesto because if there are any workers' issues, it can resolve them.
So far, the parties seem to have used the working class only as a vote bank. The National Conference of the Nepal Trade Union Congress (NTUC), affiliated to the Nepali Congress, was held on June 12-13, while the conference of the UML-affiliated General Federation of Nepalese Trade Union (GEFONT) is nearing. The NTUC has passed a 23-point resolution, including the need for a 10 percent workers' representation in the state and party structures.
The resolutions being passed are not completely new, but passing them at repeated conferences indicates non-implementation at the state level. Thus, the trade unions need to put pressure on the political parties to represent workers at the policy-making level while implementing labour-friendly issues.
The labour sector has been in turmoil for the last two years due to the coronavirus pandemic, which mainly has had a direct impact on the daily wages workers. That class is in the process of getting back to normal, albeit slowly. Now, it is up to the governments at the local level to address their problems.
It cannot be said that the day when the youth rebelled and defeated the traditional brands, in spite of each party having a youth and student wing, will not be repeated. Similarly, if the workers too rebel for their existence, the political party and system may face a difficult situation. Therefore, the parties have to accept the existence of the workers, only then will the country be prosperous through economic and social transformation of the workers.
National Vice President of Nepal Trade Union Congress, Rai is an executive member of International Transport Works Federation, UK
A version of this article appears in the print on June 23, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
