• GEFONT 72nd NEC Meeting concludes
• GEFONT conducts interaction with CA members on Labor Agenda
• GEFONT marks world day - Violence against Women
• GEFONT conducts interaction on “Safe migration and Campaign against Human Trafficking”
• International Domestic Workers Mobilization Day -2009 concludes
• GEFONT organises First National Conference of Young Workers
• GEFONT organises Fourth National Conference of Women Workers
• News brief

GEFONT 72nd NEC Meeting concludes [top]

January14 –GEFONT's 72nd National Executive Committee Meeting has been concluded.The meeting  held at Man Mohan Labor Building was Presided by the president Bishnu Rimal .

Addressing the Meeting,RtHonorable Prime Minister said that since long time we have moved ahead focusing more on politics than basic economic agenda. Now our country is in transitional phase.  Bringing Peace process to Logical end and drafting-up of the new Constitution are the major tasks of Nepali politics. He further stressed that to make state working class oriented;Government has tried to abolish all kinds of discrimination. Its policies and programs attempt to go ahead in a socialist track.

He also highlighted that Government has made various plans to end the problem of unemployment.. He appreciated GEFONT and its leading role in National and International trade union Movement.

Addressing the Meeting Com.Jhalanath Khanal,President of CPN-UML  said that Communist movement and people movement abolished Monarchy but the structure of the state remains the same, so Nepali society is far from industrialization. CPN UML is the party of working class and we work for country and People. Now the state has a major task to bring Peace process to Logical end, restructuring of state and make new constitution.

The meeting has adopted theimportant resolutionsofpublic concern issues and evaluated past 100 days.The meeting has decided to focus various issues including membership expansion and organizing new areas of employment:

Meeting has adopted special resolutions which are follows:

1.Campaign on Freedom of Association and Social security: Now Nepal is in the constitution  making process. To institutionalized Freedom of Association as fundamental Rights and Social Security as Basic fundamental Rights of the Workers through the constituent, the meeting decided to campaign by mobilizing the workers across the country on February 02.

2.To demand with constituent Assembly and Political parties to make the Pro-Worker constitution on time.

3.Trade Union Unity and Solidarity to make the state Pro-worker oriented instead of capitalistic.

4.Initiative to ensure ownership of means of production to workers by providing Rikshaw to Rikshaw pullers

5.It is known that foreign employment Welfare fund is misused by Labor Minister and Ministry of Labor.The meeting condemned the misuse.

6.Recently Government has decided to close the industries relating Stone quarry and crusher. The meeting demands for the employment security of the workers of those industries   by creating alternate employment.

7.Due to Global economic crisis thousands of Nepali workers are loosing their job and facing livelihood problem. GEFONT 72nd Meeting demands for creation additional employment and decent work environment by focusing on Economic Agenda.

8.Meeting demands toprovide compensation base on pay-off agreement for the workers of Biratnagar Jute mill. The meeting also demands to fix minimum wages by solving the wage dispute.

9.The meeting strongly opposes of the policy of "No Work No Pay"

For More >>>http://www.gefont.org/activity_detail.php?id=573

GEFONT conducts interaction with CA members on Labor Agenda [top]

January 04-GEFONT organised an interaction programme with Members of Constituent Assembly on contemporary Labour Agenda in the premises of Centre of Constitutional Dialogue at Katmandu.

The aim was to inform and share the labour Agendas in order to seek solidarity of CA members.

During the programme,GEFONT President Bishnu Rimal highlighted current status of Global and Nepali Labour Force, existing employment structure, Decent Work and Trade Union Rights, establishment of National Labour Commission, Foreign employment and Nepali Workers, Introduction of Social Security and workers' issues to be incorporated in  new constitution.

President Rimal made an appeal to CA members to raise their voice in Constituent Assembly on labour agenda. For decent Work,he requested CA members to extend support on following issues:

1.On Fundamental Rights: 

-Support to ratify ILO convention No. 87 and formally endorse ILO Fundamental Principle and Right at Work

-Support labour issue already incorporated in draft report prepared by the thematic committees of CA particularly by the Committee on Fundamental Rights & Directive principle of the State; add left out issues which are not included into any draft proposal

-Stand  against exploitative forms of labour practices including all types of unfair labour practices

-Help to bring Social Security Act as soon as possible

2.On workers' representation:

-Ensure representation of Trade unions in every structure of the state where entrepreneurs are being represented and 10 % representation of Trade Union in people representative bodies of the state.

3.On Constitutional Commission:

-Support to form National Labour Commission as a constitutional body, which would work as a quasi-judicial institution to ensure rights & immediate justice for workers

During the interaction programme Lekh Raj Bhatta, CA member and former minister of Labour and Transport Management said that even though  Monarchy has  been abolished, the  structure of the state remains same, so there is gap in  understanding, still bureaucrats are in favour of employers thus  there is dire need of labour representation.

Similarly, Ramesh Lekhak, another CA member and former Minister of State for Labour and Transport Management said  "in spite of constitutional gurantee of  trade union rights, ILo convention no 87  has not been  ratified yet, personally myself and my party has clear vision about it so I  assure that it will  be ratified  soon."
On the occassion Chairperson of CA committee on Fundamental rights and Directive principles of the State  Binda Pandey,Chairperson of Committee on of Minority & marginalised communities' Rights protection of CA  Lal Babu Pandit, CA members Khim Lal Devkota, Achyut Raj Pandey, Shanti Adhikari and Dr Vijay Paudel made their intervention and expressed their commitment on labour agendas. The CA members showed the commitment to raise their voice to ratify the ILO convention no.87.

Various personalities, including NTUC-I president Laxman Basnet NEGEO president Ganesh Basyal, NNTA president Baburam Adhikari shared their view on Nepali labour market.

GEFONT marks world day - Violence against Women [top]

November 25- GEFONT organized an interaction program on “Domestic Violence Act and women workers”marking the world day of“violence against women” in Kathmandu.

The aim was to inform and discuss about the gaps of  this act as well as to collect feedbacks.

“Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread violations of human Rights. Fight against Violence is our responsibility as well as our Right. We should fight against all kinds of Violence.  Collective effort needs to make violence-free society .

He further said even though this Act has not addressed every kinds of violence against women–we want to institutionalise our achievement through the constitution and in this juncture violence against women and children should be addresses fully by the new Constitution'Said Com. Umesh Upadhyaya ,SecretaryGeneral GEFONT  addressing in Interaction program.

Various personalities –representations from GEFONT, All Nepal Women Association ,CONEP,NDCONT,NTUF,Nepal Bar Association and Advocates- highlighted on the gaps in the Domestic Violence Act and current problems being faced by by women in Home and Society.

GEFONT conducts interaction on “Safe migration and Campaign against Human Trafficking” [top]

December 19- GEFONT organized an interaction program on “Safe migration and campaign against human trafficking"on the occasion of International Migrant Day in Katmandu.

The aim was to find out the way for safe migration and to minimize sufferings of the Migrant workers.

Umesh upadhyaya, Secretary General–GEFONT in his presentation, highlighted the situation of migrant workers,current trends of foreign employment, forced labor & Human trafficking and as well as its causes, National and International instruments-on safe Migration and Human trafficking in addition GEFONT's campaign  on safe migration.

Various personalities–including Director General of Foreign Employment Board, Chairman of Federation Foreign Employment Agencies, Joint Secretary of Ministry of Labor and Transport Management,Chairman of Health Professional's Federation,representatives from ILO and Civil society highlighted causes and the problems faced by Migrant workers and also paid  emphasis that all concerned private and government Agencies including Trade unions should play the vital role to make foreign employment safe and decent.

International Domestic Workers Mobilization Day -2009 concludes [top]

December 10- Human Rights Day has been celebrated as International Domestic Workers Mobilization Campaign.

 Workers from various fields are far behind in matter of enjoying of the rights. GEFONT affiliated Nepal Independent Domestic Workers Union celebrated it by organizing- rally, wall posturing, pamphlet distribution as well demanding their rights.

 Following demands have been put forward by domestic workers

  -Registration of domestic workers in VDCs/Municipality Office providing an identity card

-Domestic Work should keep in boundary of labor law and it should be regularized.

-Provision of minimum wages as declared by the Government and Health facilities should be provided.

-Provision of weekly holiday, public holiday, Maternity Leave family meeting as declared in labor law.

-In letter of appointment working period and other services should be specified

-Domestic Workers should be included in Social security Networking

GEFONT organises First National Conference of Young Workers [top]

Feb.26 –First National Conference of Young workers under the GEFONT umbrella has been concluded with the main theme of “Dignified, Prosperous and Creative Life for Youth Workers”.

The Conference has elected Com. Bal Gopal Thapa as President and Com.Gita Karki  as new Secretary .The Conference elected 13-member National Youth Committee.

The Conference was inaugurated by Chief Guest com.Bishnu Rimal President of GEFONT by launching the Logo of GEFONT Youth Committee.

“In every Nepali Movement,Youths have played vital role whether it was against the Rana Regime  or Shah Monarchy.Those were the youths who had played vital and leading role in the peoples’ movement of Nepal held in 1980, 1990 and 2006.Youths have to play the leading role within GEFONT as well as in Nepali Politics for the betterment of the country.”said Com.Bishnu Rimal,President of GEFONTand the Chief guest of the opening ceremony in his inaugural remarks.

In the inaugural ceremony, various speakers, including NTUC-I General Secretary Bro. Achyut Pandey,who is also the Member of Constitution Assembly,Narayan Bhattarai from ILO, Bro. Anup Shriwastav from BWI extended their best wishes for the grand success of the Conference.

The Conference has adopted various important resolutions of public concern issues including GEFONT Youth Policy,GEFONT Youth Guidelines and GEFONT Organizational Report.

Hundreds of Youth workers,close to 200 conference delegates across the country and guests from various trade union participated  in rally which was started at 10am from various points of Katmandu and converged in inaugural session at National City Hall

GEFONT organises Fourth National Conference of Women Workers [top]

March 08 – Marking the 100th Anniversary of international Women Workers Day, Fourth national Conference of Women Workers under the GEFONT umbrella has been organised with the main theme of“Equal Right,Decent Work & Prosperous Life for Women Workers.

The Conference was inaugurated by Chief Guest Rt.Hon’ble Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal By launching the Logo of Conference.
Addressing the Ceremony as the Chief Guest Prime Minister made appeal to all Women Workers to fight against all kinds of Violence,Discrimination,Abuses and Social Oppression by organising in Trade Union.

Rt.Hon’able further Stated-"Our Country is in the Constitution  making Process,to eradicate all kinds of Violence & Social Discrimination  against Women  and make Equal, Decent Work & Prosperous Life for Women Workers, issues should be incorporated in new constitution. Our collective efforts need to make this happen.

Addressing the ceremony Com. Bishnu Rimal, President of GEFONTsaid that''Not more than 20/22 years back Women participation within GEFONT was Zero .After the establishment of GEFONT Central Women Workers Committee  a series of National Conference were conducted on the issues of Women participation in all level of state mechanism including political parties and civil  Organizations. GEFONT’s fifth National Congress has ensured 33% Women representation in National Executive Committee''.

President further stated “The division of Male Workers-Female Workers in work place prevents to fight against Economy abuses.Due to the Patriarchal Society, we still found discrimination between boys and girl on the matter of education and health. To abolish all kinds of discrimination against women, GEFONT has been campaigning on Equal Right, Decent Work & Prosperous Life for Women Workers''.

During the Inaugural session Honorable Defense Minister Bidya Bhandari emphasized in Unity to enhance the skill and capacity of women for Equal Right.Honorable Defense Minister made appeal to conduct campaign throughout this year on Gender Equality.

Similarly, Chairperson of CA committee on Fundamental rights and Directive principles of the State  Binda Pandey highlighted  the Women Issues included in draft Constitution. Chairperson further stated that  in Constituent Assembly,which is the achievement of Peoples Movement,there is one third Women participation.

On behalf of Joint Trade Union Coordination Centre (JTUCC) Laxman Basnet, President of NTUC-I highlighted the labour agenda submitted for the draft constitution in connection with the development of the new constitution on behalf JTUCC.

The Conference has decided to focus on Membership Expansion  and Mobilisation  and Campaign and also adopted various important resolutions of public concern issues including GEFONT's Women Policy.

For More>>>http://www.gefont.org/activity_detail.php?id=583

News brief [top]

GEFONT celebrates international Migrant Day

December-18 GEFONT celebrates international Migrant RightsDay grandly. Organizing rally with slogan"Safe migration and strictly No to   human trafficking," Rally started Form Ratnapark in the morning at 8 am and ended in Basantapur for a joint mass meeting.

Comrade Umesh Upadhyaya –Secretary General of GEFONT addressed the gathering with emphasis that GEFONT has been campaigning and fighting for safe migration and migrant rights. He demanded that Government and policy makers should address the sufferings of migrant workers and not to focus only on the amount of remittance.Migrant workers should be protected through diplomatic units and labor Attachés.

On the occasion,various partners including Ministry of Labour and Transport Management,Ministry of foreign Affairs,Federation of Foreign employment Agencies, Pourakhi, UNIFEM Ex ministers and many others addressed the meeting.

GEFONT celebrates International Child Rights Day, 2009

November 20- GEFONT celebrated International Child Rights Day with a slogan “Child Labor Free and Prosperous Nepal”.

Bishnu Rimal–President of GEFONT highlighted the importance of Child Rights Day and the GEFONT's Campaign for the abolition of child labor.

Umesh Upadhyaya–Secretary General of GEFONT highlighted the situation of children .He said that GEFONT has been campaigning to abolish child labor and safeguarding of child rights by managing the schooling 815 students in various parts of country.

During the program awards were given to the students and appreciation letters to their parents. Cultural program with songs, poem and dances was also organized on the occasion

Worker Dies In Kulekhani Tunnel

Ram Sharan Moktan of Kitani,Bhaise -2,died after he was buried in a tunnel of the under-construction Kulekhani-III Hydroelectricity Project at Bhainse in Makwanpur district.

Late Ram Sharan Moktan’s family got Rs 15, 50,000 as compensation in the initiative of GEFONT affiliate Union CUPPEC Nepal.

First National Conference of NIDWU concludes

Feb.05-GEFONT affiliates Union Nepal Independent Domestic Workers Union’s first National conference has been concluded in Kathmandu .

The theme was unity of Domestic workers for decent work.
The conference was inaugurated by chief guest Com.Bishnu Rimal,President of GEFONT.

The Congress selected Com.Sonu Danuwar as president and Com. Rohini Prasad Dahal as a new Secretary General.The conference has elected 11 member central committee for next four years.

Fourth National Conference of Nepal Independent Food and Beverage Workers Union concludes.

Feb.6 -GEFONT’s affiliate Union -Nepal Independent Food and Beverage Workers’ Union  has been concluded its Fourth National Conference in Narayanghat ,Chitwan theme on “Workers’ Unity for Decent Work and Social Security”.

“It is positive that Government has already started to form social security fund  by  deducting  one percent from the salary of the workers and the effort should made from all sides for the implementation of this ” said Com. Bishnu Rimal ,the president of GEFONT and the chief guest of the opening ceremony in his inaugural remarks.

The Congress elected Com.Krishna Rimal  as president and Com. Ramesh Mainali   as Secretary General .The conference has elected 19  member central committee  for next four years.

Conference has adopted various important resolutions of public concern issues including 10 points program for coming next four years.

First National Conference of Nepal Barbars Trade Union concludes

Feb.09-GEFONT affiliate’s Union Nepal Barbers’ Trade union has been concluded its first national Conference in grandeur way  with slogan ” Safety and Decent Employment –concern of Nepal Barber Trade Union”.

“We can do any kind of work but work should be Decent. Decent Work and Trade Union Rights, establishment of National Labor Commission, Introduction of Social Security and workers' issues , representation of Trade unions in every structure of the state to be ensured in new constitution .Right to organize,Right to strike should be ensured as fundamental Rights.”said Com.Bishnu Rimal ,the president of GEFONT and the chief guest of the opening ceremony in his inaugural remarks.

The Congress elected Com.Gajendra Thakur as president and Com.Jeevan Napit as a new Secretary general.The Conference has elected 17 member central committee for next four years.

Fourth National Conference of CUPPEC Concludes with grand ceremony

Feb.18 – Fourth National Conference of GEFONT's largest affiliates- Central union of Painters,Plumbers,Electro and Construction Workers-Nepal (CUPPEC) has been concluded in Katmandu.

The Congress elected Com.Nara Nath Luitel as a new  president and Com.Manohari Siwakoti  as a new Secretary General.

The conference has elected 27 member central committee   for next four years.The conference has also elected  Com.Jeetendra Shrestha as a chief of Delegates Council and  Com.Pradeep Chaudhary as a Deputy Chief of Delegates Council.

The Conference has adopted  various important resolutions of public concern issues.

Altogether 250 conference delegates across the country and 10 international guests from various Trade unions organizations.

The Conference was kicked-off on 17th February in Kathmandu . Thousands of workers across the country and international guests from various Trade union organizations participated in rally which was started at 11am from “Martians Gate ”and converged inaugural session at Historical place Basantapur.

“Fundamental Rights of the workers – Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to organize,Right to work,Right to wage and Right to Social security should be ensured in Constitution  both for formal and informal sectors. Construction Workers do not believe in destructive,we believe in Creation.Due to the ten years long conflict–the structures of the county have been damaged ,We  have to reform it” said Com. Bishnu Rimal,the President of GEFONT and the Chief Guest of the opening ceremony in his inaugural remarks.

Similarly,  Atmaram Poudel from  Maroham Construction & Allied Workers ‘Union of Nepal ,Narayan Bhattarai from ILO/Nepal and World Cycle traveler Pushkar Shah  extended their best wishes for the grand success of the Conference.

Various leaders of International Trade Union Movement R.C.Kunthiya  BWI/India ,Khalid Atan from Malaysia Trade Union Congress ,Dr.Sharan K.C from Trade Union Solidarity Centre ,Finland  and Peter Sheltresh form Swedish Electric Union extended their best wishes for the grand success of the Conference.

At the end of the ceremony Com.Bishnu Rimal,President of GEFONT also honored the senior Unionists for their valuable contribution for the establishment of CUPPEC Nepal