Ramjee Kunwar

Ramjee Kunwar (Nepali: रामजी कुँवर) (born 19 September 1956; Kaski District, Nepal) is a Nepal Trade Union Congress-Independent (NTUCI) leader, Senior Vice President of NTUCI[3] and executive member of Nepali Congress Party.[4] He was also the former vice president and secretary of NTUCI and is currently acting president.[5]

Ramjee Kunwar
रामजी कुँवर
Mr. Kunwar addressing NTUCI and JILAF[1] programme
Acting President of NTUCI
Vice president
Secretary
Personal details
Born (1956-09-19) September 19, 1956
Pokhara, Kaski, Nepal
Political partyNepal Trade Union Congress-Independent, Nepali Congress
SpouseSushila Kunwar
Alma materGandhigram Rural University[2]

NTUCI is a major democratic national center of Nepal, established in 1947. The labor movement in Nepal started on March 4, 1947, in Biratnagar against the hereditary Rana rule for the establishment of democracy and advancement of workers’ rights. In 1948, Girija Prasad Koirala founded the Nepal Mazdoor Congress, later known as the Nepal Trade Union Congress-Independent. NTUCI also actively agitated and protested in the 2006 democracy movement in Nepal against the direct and undemocratic rule of King Gyanendra of Nepal.[6] Many trade union leaders along with Kunwar were put in jail and some fled to India.[7][8] The ideology of NTUCI was based on democracy, nationalism and socialism. NTUCI is affiliated with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)[9] and the International Labour Organization.[10]

Early involvement

Kunwar received his education from Gandhigram Rural University,[11] Tamil Nadu, India in 1984. He worked in the health sector for 22 years. He joined the trade union in 1990 and has continuously fought for the cause of labour. Kunwar joined the trade union because of discrimination against worker's rights, welfare, and socio-economic standards. He flayed the provision of 'no work no pay' in the new policy, saying it was against the labourers.[12] "The provision is totally against the laborers and we condemn it," Kunwar said.[13]

Activities

Under his leadership, NTUCI has been actively campaigning to promote social welfare, social justice, human rights, and equality and to eliminate child labor on a national level. Kunwar was also part of the Nepalese delegation to the 98th International Labour Conference (ILC) with (ILO) whom briefed Director General of ILO, Juan Somavia[14] on their efforts to have labour-related rights incorporated into the new constitution at Geneva, in 2009.[15] Kunwar has actively lobbied and put pressure on political parties and government with the partnership of other trade unions. They have succeeded in addressing workers' rights and job security in the interim constitution of Nepal and in the ratification of ILO conventions.[16][17] He addressed the high-level meeting with the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and ITUC/Global Unions in Washington, DC in January 2011.

Minimum wage

Kunwar is also one of the key people from Joint Trade Union negotiating the minimum wage for workers.[18] After many negotiations and disagreements, in a landmark decision trade unions and employers have agreed to increase the salary and daily wages of workers. Talks between the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Confederation of Nepalese Industries and trade unions have resulted in hiking the minimum wage of workers from Rs 4,600 to Rs 6,100 and bringing in a social security plan for workers. The agreement also provides for amending labour laws in favour of industrial harmony. "Trade unions have taken the agreement positive as the agreement has accepted their longtime demand of Social security.[19] Including Social security fund in the agreement is the success of labour movement", said Ramjee Kunwar, acting president of NTUCI.[20]

References
  1. Archived April 18, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  2. "The Gandhigram Rural Institute - Deemed University". Rualuniv.ac.in. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  3. "High-Level Meetings Between The World Bank, IMF and ITUC/ Global Unions". Archived from the original on May 6, 2011. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
  4. "NC regional convention elects GC representatives". Thehimalayantimes.com. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  5. "Peace, statute NC's agenda: KC". Ekantipur.com. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  6. "Update (Nepal): A further 600 persons arrested while engaged in peaceful demonstrations throughout Nepal". Archived from the original on March 3, 2011. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
  7. "Annual Survey of violations of trade union rights". Archived from the original on June 27, 2009. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
  8. "2007 Annual Survey of violations of trade union rights - Nepal". Unhcr.org. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  9. "Nepal: Killings and Mass Arrests of Trade Unionists". Ituc-csi.org. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  10. "ILO". Ilo.org. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  11. "The Gandhigram Rural Institute - Deemed University". Ruraluniv.ac.in. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  12. "Workers look unhappy upon 'No work no pay' policy". Archived from the original on March 21, 2012. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
  13. "'No work no pay' sparks controversy". Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
  14. "International Migrants Day - Message by Mr. Juan Somavia, Director-General of the ILO". Ilo.org. 29 November 2007. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  15. "Meeting of the Nepalese delegation to the 98th ILC with ILO DG - abroad". Usnepalonline.com. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  16. "Seminar on ILO Convention 169 begins". Himalayantimes.com. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  17. "GEFONT - Let us design our agendas for Decent Work-ITUC Nepali Affiliates mark World Day for Decent Work". Gefont.org. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  18. "Nepali Politics: Which We Are Facing Now!" (PDF). Gefont.org. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  19. "Employers, trade unions hammer out a deal, finally - Money - :: The Kathmandu Post". Ekantipur.com. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  20. "Unions' employers agree on salary' daily wages". Thehimalayantimes.com. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
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