Dabur Nepal approaches FNCCI, strike continues for 10th day

KATHMANDU: Dabur Nepal, a subsidiary of Indian Ayurvedic giant Dabur, continued to be locked up for the tenth day on Tuesday following a labour unrest, even as the company took up the issue with the country's apex business body.

The company shut down its production unit after the Maoist-affiliated workers locked up its main factory at Birgunj in Parsa district. The union is demanding 10 per cent bonus for the workers along with other benefits. The closure has jeopardised employment of over 700 people in the factory, situated at Rampur near the Indo-Nepal border.

As the closure is causing heavy loss to the company, the management has approached the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI) to resolve the labour crisis.

"We want to resolve the problem through dialogue, so we have taken up the issue with the FNCCI," an official from Dabur Nepal told the media.

"A similar strike last year was called off after the management agreed to increase pay and issue appointment letters to all the workers. The worker's union had then agreed to not launch any agitation for the next two years. The fresh strike is a breach of the agreement," the official said.

However, the Maoists-affiliated workers' union alleged that the company had manipulated its profit figures and provided less bonus to the workers.