Saorsa
9th February 2010, 03:21
Maoists force closure of 26 restaurants in Kathmandu
PTI
Twenty six restaurants operating under three chains in Kathmandu have been shut down after the Maoists affiliated union exerted pressure to fulfil their demands of hiking pay and perks.
Restaurants operating under the chains of Nepal Dairy’s, Hot Bread and The Bakery Cafe have shut down their outlays in Kathmandu since Sunday following the Maoists’ pressure, according to Restaurant and Bar Association Nepal (RABAN).
The decision to close down the restaurant outlays was taken after the Maoist workers obstructed operation for eight hours on Saturday to press for their demands.
Although the restaurant owners and labour union had earlier agreed to review their pay and perks in every three years during previous agreement, the pro-Maoist workers obstructed the operation of restaurant one year before the agreement expires, one of the owners said. We will review their salary next year as it was increased just two years ago, he pointed out.
The pro-Maoist trade union has demanded 40 per cent pay hike and 100 per cent increment in allowances. More than 600 employees were working in these 26 restaurants which have closed their operation since Sunday.
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/intern...icle102815.ece
Restaurants re-opening uncertain
REPUBLICA
KATHMANDU, Feb 9: Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal (REBAN) Monday decided against resuming operations of four restaurant chains in the capital unless the agitating workers withdraw their demands.
A meeting of REBAN, the umbrella association of restaurants in the country, decided not to reopen the restaurants which were closed by the management for the last three days, citing abnormal situation for service of guests.
“Workers are placing unnecessary demands for pay hike against the spirit of agreement reached with different labor unions two years back despite the fact that the management of concerned restaurants had raised pay a couple of times. We are not in a position to raise remuneration as demanded by the workers,” Narendra Man Singh, general secretary of REBAN, told myrepublica.com.
As per the agreement, workers cannot place demands that increase financial burden to the management for the next three years.
The four restaurant chains are suffering a daily loss of about Rs 800,000 due to the agitation of the workers.
Agitating workers affiliated with UCPN (Maoist) have put forth a charter of demands, including pay hike. After the workers put forth the demands, management of those restaurants closed the operation citing adverse impact on service of guests.
Pasting notice at their restaurants, managements of Bakery Café, Hot Breads, Nepal Dairy and Jajoo Café of Patan said that they were compelled to shut down their operations indefinitely due to difficulty in attending to their guests due to the workers´ protests.
The workers had announced a program to stop customer service for two hours on Friday, four hours on Saturday and eight hours on Sunday to press the management fulfill their demands to increase their salary and dearness allowance by 40 percent and 100 percent respectively and transparency in management of services charge collected from customers among others.
The management and workers had agreed to share the amount collected as service charge, which is levied at 10 percent of the total bill amount, from customers in 32:68 ratio. However, the workers have been alleging that the management is not transparent on sharing service charge.
Workers claim that 32 percent of the total service charge is meant for enhancing skill of workers and bear the loss by wear and tear of restaurant property.
“Going against the existing Labor Act, the management abruptly shut down the restaurant without informing us despite our willingness to sit for dialogue to solve the problem,” said Yam Bahadur Karki, president Bakery Café unit of All Nepal Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union´s in New Baneshwar.
Bakery Café has 10 outlets with 300 employees, while Hot Breads - the franchise of Hot Breads India -- has eight outlets with 125 employees. Similarly, ND´s Restaurant and Jajoo Café has two outlets each in the capital.
Rajesh Khaniya, president of the union´s Hot Breads unit and Bimal Ghimire, president of the union´s Nepal Dairy unit said the workers were ready to sit for dialogue if the managements of the restaurant create conducive environment by unconditionally opening the restaurants.
http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/in...&news_id=14937
PTI
Twenty six restaurants operating under three chains in Kathmandu have been shut down after the Maoists affiliated union exerted pressure to fulfil their demands of hiking pay and perks.
Restaurants operating under the chains of Nepal Dairy’s, Hot Bread and The Bakery Cafe have shut down their outlays in Kathmandu since Sunday following the Maoists’ pressure, according to Restaurant and Bar Association Nepal (RABAN).
The decision to close down the restaurant outlays was taken after the Maoist workers obstructed operation for eight hours on Saturday to press for their demands.
Although the restaurant owners and labour union had earlier agreed to review their pay and perks in every three years during previous agreement, the pro-Maoist workers obstructed the operation of restaurant one year before the agreement expires, one of the owners said. We will review their salary next year as it was increased just two years ago, he pointed out.
The pro-Maoist trade union has demanded 40 per cent pay hike and 100 per cent increment in allowances. More than 600 employees were working in these 26 restaurants which have closed their operation since Sunday.
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/intern...icle102815.ece
Restaurants re-opening uncertain
REPUBLICA
KATHMANDU, Feb 9: Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal (REBAN) Monday decided against resuming operations of four restaurant chains in the capital unless the agitating workers withdraw their demands.
A meeting of REBAN, the umbrella association of restaurants in the country, decided not to reopen the restaurants which were closed by the management for the last three days, citing abnormal situation for service of guests.
“Workers are placing unnecessary demands for pay hike against the spirit of agreement reached with different labor unions two years back despite the fact that the management of concerned restaurants had raised pay a couple of times. We are not in a position to raise remuneration as demanded by the workers,” Narendra Man Singh, general secretary of REBAN, told myrepublica.com.
As per the agreement, workers cannot place demands that increase financial burden to the management for the next three years.
The four restaurant chains are suffering a daily loss of about Rs 800,000 due to the agitation of the workers.
Agitating workers affiliated with UCPN (Maoist) have put forth a charter of demands, including pay hike. After the workers put forth the demands, management of those restaurants closed the operation citing adverse impact on service of guests.
Pasting notice at their restaurants, managements of Bakery Café, Hot Breads, Nepal Dairy and Jajoo Café of Patan said that they were compelled to shut down their operations indefinitely due to difficulty in attending to their guests due to the workers´ protests.
The workers had announced a program to stop customer service for two hours on Friday, four hours on Saturday and eight hours on Sunday to press the management fulfill their demands to increase their salary and dearness allowance by 40 percent and 100 percent respectively and transparency in management of services charge collected from customers among others.
The management and workers had agreed to share the amount collected as service charge, which is levied at 10 percent of the total bill amount, from customers in 32:68 ratio. However, the workers have been alleging that the management is not transparent on sharing service charge.
Workers claim that 32 percent of the total service charge is meant for enhancing skill of workers and bear the loss by wear and tear of restaurant property.
“Going against the existing Labor Act, the management abruptly shut down the restaurant without informing us despite our willingness to sit for dialogue to solve the problem,” said Yam Bahadur Karki, president Bakery Café unit of All Nepal Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union´s in New Baneshwar.
Bakery Café has 10 outlets with 300 employees, while Hot Breads - the franchise of Hot Breads India -- has eight outlets with 125 employees. Similarly, ND´s Restaurant and Jajoo Café has two outlets each in the capital.
Rajesh Khaniya, president of the union´s Hot Breads unit and Bimal Ghimire, president of the union´s Nepal Dairy unit said the workers were ready to sit for dialogue if the managements of the restaurant create conducive environment by unconditionally opening the restaurants.
http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/in...&news_id=14937