Government is committed to protecting trade union rights, vows PM Deuba

Kathmandu / Sept. 4: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that the government is committed to protecting trade union rights.

Addressing a programme to release ‘Karmachari’, an annual bulletin, and to exchange greetings on the occasion of the founding day of the Nepal Civil Service Employees’ Union here today, the PM said the government is doing homework for bringing the Civil Service Act at the soonest possible.

“The civil service has been playing a key role in implementing the government’s policies and programmes as well as rules and regulations since it is an essential mechanism of the state system. It has also made an important contribution to search, rescue and rehabilitation missions at times of natural disasters like the COVID-19 pandemic, dengue, and earthquake.”

Calling upon the government employees also to work towards rooting out corruption and irregularities, Prime Minister Deuba urged them to carry out their work without any prejudice no matter whatever ideology they carry. He also directed the bodies concerned to bring an employee-friendly Civil Service Act at the earliest.

Nepali Congress senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel called the attention of the government to table the Civil Service Act in parliament as soon as possible by holding a dialogue with the civil service employees.

Stating that the governance system could not be changed frequently, he demanded the government to bring the Civil Service Act at the earliest even for implementing the constitution. “We have seen the situation in Sri Lanka what happens when the government fails to provide good governance. Moral power is required for delivering good governance, there needs to be serious thinking regarding stability and nobody can go against the spirit of the constitution while making laws,” senior leader Poudel said.

Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration Rajendra Prasad Shrestha expressed the commitment that the trade union rights and the rights of the civil servants to career development would not be curtailed in the Civil Service Act. He also asserted that the government would move ahead in issuing the Act by reaching an agreement with all the parties and all sides concerned.

“The Federal affairs Training Academy that has been included in the policy and programme document of the government as well as in the budget has got stuck in the parliament’s thematic committee for five months. This has created problems in carrying out works,” he complained.

Minister Shrestha also stressed that nobody can hijack the rights given under the national and international laws for ensuring the trade union rights.

Stating that there are 761 governments in the nation at present, he said the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General administration is at work present to systematize the bureaucracies under all these governments.

Former minister and National Assembly member Kamala Panta reiterated bringing the Civil Service Act to motivate the government employees.

Union president Gopal Prasad Pokharel stressed the need of including the pertinent issues of the civil service employees while issuing the Civil Service Act.

“Five civil service employees unions are united for getting the Civil Service Act issued from the parliament. The act is an important document for running state affairs second only to the constitution. It has not been issued yet. I urge the government to form a talks team and facilitate in issuing the Act at the earliest after resolving the employees’ problems,” Pokharel said, adding that the Act should have provision for sending the Province Secretary and the local level chief administrative officer by the centre itself.

Union’s founding president Yor Jung Karki, former presidents Shovakar Regmi and Bhanubhakta Dhakal, senior vice-president Uttam Kumar Katuwal, and general secretary Nawaraj Rawal, among the speakers called for bringing a civil service employees-friendly Act.

Office-bearers who served in the union and the former officials who retired from the civil service were honoured on the occasion. The founding president, members and former presidents of the Union who made a notable contribution to the establishment of the union were also felicitated.

The Union was established on September 4, 2002. RSS