Salary according to the law

The Independent Labour Right Forum fights for salary according to the law and an eight hours work day. Today working conditions are changing in the Kabilvastu district

By Malene Lærke

21. March 2007

Just because the law says that the daily rate for labour work should be 100 rupees does not mean that it is the salary that is paid by the employer. The members of Independent Labour Right Forum, ILRF, got aware of that at a workshop organised by MS partner SSDC. The men worked daily 12 hours for 80 rupees while the women worked for 60 rupees only. That was when they decided that this had to be changed and that it could not be right that the law was not followed. They formed the forum back in 2004.

“We did not know our rights. No one had told us about it and it was not flashed anywhere. SSDC filled our ears about our rights and they told us we should do something. We decided that we wanted the salary we should have according to the law and that the salary should be equal for men and women. We also learned that a working day according to the law is eight hours,” tells Karna Bahadur Lama, chair person of Independent Labour Right Forum, situated in Bandganga, ward no. 4, Motipur VDC in Kabilvastu district.

“We are poor people and we don’t get informed. I have heard that aid comes to Nepal but I have never seen it. Maybe the high people get it. It is the same with laws. We are not told,” he says.

The 100 rupees salary per day is for harvesting-, construction-, and transportation work. The law was passed in the beginning of 2004 but the presence of the law was not informed to the labours concerned. For skilled labour the Independent Labour Right Forum demands 200 rupees per day.

Campaign for 100 rupees salary

The forum decided to start an awareness campaign for labourers in the district. The members went from community to community to advocate and tell about the law

“In the beginning people did not listen to me. My words went from peoples right ear to left ear and they were laughing and not ready to listen to me but slowly they began to understand and they were convinced and now we have peoples support,” says Karna Bahadur Lama and adds that a landlord said to him that: “If you want to increase your salary you have to increase the value of the tractor.”

“The landlords complain that they have to pay more for less work but I tell them they have to obey the law and I ask them what they will do if we don’t work for them. Then there will be no production at all,” he says.

The ILRF also filed an application about their right to a 100 rupees salary at the District Administration Office but there was no reaction. A rally was held surrounding the office with approximately 10.000 participants from all over the district where they shouted the slogans; Equal pay for equal work and the law must be followed. Still, there was no reaction from the authorities at the office.

18 months without work

The campaign began to make people aware and the struggle to get the pay that was rightfully theirs began. Indra Ghimire, together with 500 labourers decided that they wanted their employer to follow the law and give them 100 rupees for a days work. They simply asked to get the salary they are entitled to.

“We were scolded and asked whether we had become leaders and told that we could not get that much. We were beaten with a stick but we did not give up. We were insisting,” tells Indra Ghimire.

The employer reacted by not wanting to have them in his work force and imported workers from Dang that did not demand the 100 rupee salary.

“We went to the landlord to stop it and we were beaten,” Indra Ghimire says and Sharada Pariyar adds: “We were ready to die to have our right.”

After 18 months the employer gave in. The labourers got their right because it was not possible for the employer to continuously import labourers from other districts. Even though the labourers from Dang worked for a lower salary it was more expensive because of transportation, food and lodging.

“We told him that we are near and that he needs our labour. We also talked to the imported labour and informed them about their rights. We told them that this is also their problem. It became too expensive for the employer and we got back to work,” recalls Indra Ghimire. Her family got through the 18 months by eating less and because her husband took a job in another district.

“We ate less even though we were hungry,” says Indra Ghimire.

40.000 labourers

Independent Labour Rights Forum estimates that there are around 40.000 labourers in Kabilvastu district. The forum believes that they have been able to change the salary and number of working hours in 14 out of the 77 VDCs in the district. The goal is to cover all 77 VDCs within the coming year. Another plan is to have all 40.000 labourers as members of the forum and take a small membership fee.

“The money will be spend on income generating programmes, saving, goat keeping, broom- and candle production,” tells Karna Bahadur Lama.

The registration fee will be 10 rupees (app. 1. d.dk) for identity card and the monthly fee one rupee.