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Kathmandu Friday March 16, 2001 Chaitra 03, 2057.
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Essential Service Act clamped on hotel employees
By Shree Ram Subedi
KATHMANDU, March 15- In an attempt to avert present crisis in hotel industry
arising from service charge row between the hoteliers and hotel employees, the government
has banned all forms of strike in the industry effective from today.
In an abrupt decision, which comes as a shock to the striking hotel workers,
the government has included hotel industry into Essential Service Sector. Notification to
this effect has appeared in today’s Gazette. According to the Essential Service
Operation Act, no employees working in Essential Service Sector can go on strike. If the
Act is breached, the employer can immediately fire the employees, without any legal
consequences in future.
The other services under the Essential Service Sector included postal
service, telex, telephone, road, air and sea transportation of passengers and cargo,
airport and related services, print and government press, arms and military related
products, telecommunications, electricity and drinking water distribution.
The workers, who were in a jubilant mood Wednesday with the Patan Appellate
Court rejecting the hoteliers’ plea to issue a restraining order against strike,
gathered today evening to take stock of the new development that dashed their hope to
buckle down the hoteliers through strike. A member participating in the hurriedly called
meeting told The Kathmandu Post that the workers are contemplating the option to challenge
the government decision in the Supreme Court. " In all probability, we will challenge
the decision," said Prabhu Thapa, Assistant Secretary of Nepal Independent Hotel
Workers Union (NIHWU).
Achyut Pandey, member of the Central Action Committee(CAC), formed by the two
major unions, signalled that they would withdraw their strike but added that the demand of
TSC would remain .
"We are busy making new strategy and protest programme will
continue," said Pandey before the conclusion of the meeting late to night.
The hoteliers, who were fighting tooth and nail to keep workers’ strike
at bay, have lauded the government’s decision. "We welcome the decision,"
said Executive member of HAN, Shyam Kachhyapati. "This shows the importance attached
by the government to the tourism industry...it also shows the realization of the
government towards the need to protect and safeguard the industry," he said.
In the first day of the strike today, the situation was tense in some of the
hotels and tourists were found confused. Police were deployed in the Capital’s five
star Soaltee Hotel, where the police arrested over 80 hotel workers. Hotel workers claim
that similar arrests took place in Nanglo Restaurant, Tansen Restaurant and Shankar Hotel
too.
With the strike and the resulting tension, some of the tourists cut short
their stay and returned home today. Anil Dhodi and S. K. Dhir from Delhi had initially
planed to stay in Kathmandu for four days. But they changed their mind and flew back to
Delhi.
Bewildered by the Hotel notice that said the Hotel may be unable to provide
service from Friday evening, Dhodi said, "At least we should have been informed in
advance but it was so sudden that made us upset."
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