Illustrating the importance of social protection in Nepal: Meet Gopal

Gopal, 74 years old. “I have been receiving the old age allowance for the past four years. My wife also gets this grant, for which Sarita helped. My wife is a couple of years older than me, so she has been receiving the grant for longer. I didn’t know about my age, or what papers I needed. We needed to go look for my papers and find my birth date, so I would know when I could start getting this grant. Then, Sarita helped me to fill out the forms at the ward office. It was easy, not hard because she was there and she knew everything, and everyone.

At first, I used to go to the ward office to get the money, but then I opened a bank account, to get the money deposited there. The bank is very near, I take my bicycle to go there whenever the ward office member tells me the grant has been deposited. He lives just around the corner, so it is easy. He also made sure I got the money cash during the lockdown, when the banks were closed. There have never been any delays, I get it every four months.

I have another bank account which I use to get the money for the sugarcane I grow. But most of the money that I make from that, I give to my sons. I have five sons and all of them are married and went away, except the youngest who stays with me. He is a teacher and not yet married. My other four sons are all over, in Kathmandu, India and Saudi Arabia. I don’t expect financial support from them, I think once a boy is married and he has his own family, we should try not to be a burden to them. I try to give them all the money I make from sugarcane, and just live from the old age allowance for us, but it is very little. Even though my sons have jobs, they still can use some extra money because rent and education is so expensive, prices have really gone up.

I usually withdraw the entire amount when I get it, because we need it for food and my medication. My wife suffers from rheumatism, aching bones, and I have gastritis. I go through a bottle of pills almost every ten days, which costs me 200NPR.

While I was working, I paid taxes, of course. I think it is right that the government should support old people, because many times, their children can’t take care of them. We worked a lot and still continue to labour, but that is not always possible."

Testimony gathered during field visit with SPCSN in Province 2, with CFWA and Save the Children.

Passing laws, ensuring young and women leadership in trade unions - Nepal in 2019

The next generation needs to ensure trade unions leadership, therefore General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT) chose to invest in the organizing of workers below 35, since they are the future. “I’m Geeta (34) and I have two children. I have been working in an aluminium industry since the past 14 years. I started working at the age of 20. At that time, I had no idea about trade union rights, workers’ rights or women rights. In 2004 I got the opportunity to participate in a programme organized by GEFONT. I really got inspired and started raising awareness among my co-workers. In 2006, I became the GEFONT representative for my enterprise and in 2010 I became the Whole Industry Trade Union Nepal (WHIN) district committee member (blue collar workers) and secretary.”

Dilli, 38 years old, is fighting, together with Nepal Trade Union Congress (NTUC), for better wages and better working conditions. “I have a very poor family background: I have 4 children, a disabled father and a mother with a chronic disease.  I’ve been working in an Ilam Dairy Product Cooperative since 2004, with a total salary of 2.000 NPR (15 EUR). I used to work 12 hours a day, without any leave or other welfare support. My salary was way too low to fulfil the basic needs of my family, as well as to pay medicines for my parents. I asked my management several times for an increase, but it was denied over and over again”.
That’s why he consulted WSM partner, local trade union, NTUC. An NTUC district committee carefully listened to his grievances and they involved him in different programs and activities of the Union. Finally, in 2017, with the initiation of NTUC, his salary was increased to the level of the minimum wage of 9.700 NPR (73,50 EUR). For long, the minimum wages fell far below the amount needed to satisfy the family subsistence. In 2018 the legal minimum wage was revised and increased to 13.450 NPR (101,90 EUR). However, regular monitoring of the implementation of the wages is very important. In case of Nepal, this aspect is fully absent. Workers in enterprises or sectors where union is absent or weak are still compelled to work for a wage that is insufficient to earn a living. Dili for example did again not receive the increased minimum wage. That’s why NTUC made a second request to revise his wage in the beginning of 2019. Thanks to their support, he is now receiving it.

As became clear in the above example, NTUC has been organizing various policy dialogues and policy level intervention activities. They organized their workers through its regular activities, such as May Day, International Women Day, the International Occupational Health and Safety Day, Decent Work Day, Youth Day, etc. They focused on organizing and campaigning. Because of these and other efforts, NTUC and GEFONT have managed a very respectable increase of membership of 100.000 members in the past three years, of which the overwhelming majority are women and under 35 years old!

No to contractualization; Yes to a national minimum wage! - Philippines 2019

"I’m Analou Paquera, 27 years old and currently working in the UNI ELEMENTS ENTERPRISES located in Malanday, Valenzuela City (Manila metropole). I was born in Cotabato, Mindanao and I choose to migrate to go in Manila to look for a better job because of lack of opportunities in my province. I am working in UNI ELEMENT since 2015 as part of the production line. I make the chemicals that are necessary to produce liquid soap and bath soap.
In 2015, my salary was 250PHP (4,5 euros) for 12 hours of work. I had no benefits like SSS (social security), PhilHealth or any other social insurance. In the company there are many violations of the labour law by the employer, lack of overtime payment, 13th month pay. The workers are also exposed to the chemicals without protective equipment, which are very harmful. In 2019, I met the organizer of Young Christian Workers (YCW) in Malanday Valenzuela with my fellow workers and we have shared about of all the young workers in the UNI ELEMENTS Factory. We decided to organize my fellow workers to change our reality.
We filed a case in the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for the violation of the minimum wage regulations, for the non-remittance of our social insurance benefits and to get our underpaid salary of a period of almost 5 years. After negotiating with the employer and the DOLE, we finally got our unpaid salary. My employer paid me 45.000 pesos (800 USD) back pay. He was also forced to increase my daily salary from 250 pesos (4,5 euro) to 700 pesos (12,5 euro).
Our experience in organizing to demand salary increase was not easy. We have faced many challenges in organizing dialogue and negotiations with the employer and the DOLE, because we didn’t know before how to do it. But YCW helped us by sharing their own experience on how to deal with this. As of now, we still need to continue to organize the workers here in UNI ELEMENTS because even though my salary was increased, my job status is still as contractual worker.”

Political, economic and social context of the Philippines
Throughout 2019, the Philippino government continued curtailing the freedom of speech and association of human and labour rights activists, independent journalists and trade unions. With Executive Order 70 the red-tagging of progressive workers’ organizations as communist and terrorist organizations has intensified. The authorities have already used EO70 to target local unions in areas where there are Chinese investments.  At the International Labour Conference in Geneva the ILO decided to schedule a high-level mission to the Philippines for an investigation into the killing of 43 labour activists in the last 3 years, a mission which to date the Philippino authorities has not yet allowed to enter the country. In the meantime, due to the passing of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act (TRAIN) in 2018 prices of basic goods and services continued to rise in 2019. One study found that the law can create a monthly loss of up to 3.000 pesos (± 53 euro) per family. Last year the Expanded Maternity Leave was adopted, extending maternity leave with full pay from 60 to 105 days. A Universal Health Care Act was also passed, supposedly lowering out-of-pocket health expenses but according to the partner organizations, this law will only contribute to the further commercialization and privatisation of public health care services.

Organizing Home Based workers in Nepal in 2018

Ms. Gayatri makes and sells plates made from leaves in one of the most iconic places of Kathmandu, Pashupatinath, a temple where deceased are incinerated. “I came to this area about 10 years ago because it became impossible to continue farming where I lived, since agricultural land became scarce in the valley. I don’t know how to read or write, but I am a strong believer, so I wanted to be near to this temple and approached the trust which manages the temple. With my colleagues, we make plates by folding leaves together, small tumbler and bowls. We sell these plates for 10NPR or 10 eurocent. Since a bundle of leaves costs us 30NPR or 30 eurocent, I only make about 110 to 200NPR (1 to 2EUR) per day. My fingers are getting very painful because of the constant folding of leaves, but since we are self-employed, it is very difficult to get medical schemes for treatment. The earthquake damaged the room where we stored the leaves though and still hasn’t been renovated, so we have to keep our leaves outside, where they are exposed to the weather or dirt. As a small trade union affiliated to Home Workers Union of Nepal (NTUC), we have to defend our trade, because the temple is considering to outsource this practice, which would mean we would lose our income.”

NTUC, traditionally a more white collar trade union, focuses more and more on the informal sector and home based workers, using vocational skill training to organize especially women.

These stories illustrate the exemplary work done by WSM partners, the trade unions in Nepal. One of the rare countries in South Asia where the trade unions work closely together and through their unity managed to pass lobby government and employers to pass important legislation regarding labour standards and social security, now also integrating the informal sector.

Social Security Coverage for all Nepali workers

Another major issue we have been working on with WSM support is social protection, where we were able to draft a position paper on behalf of all the trade unions, which was used as the main tool while bargaining with the employers and the government, and that I think led to a milestone for social security in Nepal.  Ramesh Badal, GEFONT and Steering Committee member for Nepal.

New historic social security legislation was passed in July 2017, after 18 years of lobbying by the trade unions, WSM partners. A universal social security bill was passed which has paved the way for the government to four main social security schemes. For the very first time, all those working in formal and informal sectors will be covered by unemployment, maternity, health, accident, old age and disability benefits. Workers will contribute 11%, while employers 20% and the government will ensure the management of the system. The 27th of November was declared National Social Security Day, to be celebrated yearly and offering an opportunity to yearly remind the government of its now very public commitment. And of course, WSM partners as trade unions gathered many of their members across the country to celebrate and inform workers of these new rights, and they'll be there to help ensure the government rolls out all these schemes and doesn't just stop at these four basic schemes.

Young trade union leaders are not the future, they are today's leaders! (GEFONT)

Bikey Shrestha is a young taxi driver from the transport federation affiliated to GEFONT:

 “I am a young leader, but GEFONT has invested a lot in training us so we could take part in collective bargaining. The Nepali government recently imposed an Education Qualification requirement, which meant that taxi drivers, besides their driving licence, had to have studied until 16 years (finished class 10). Most taxi drivers currently don’t have this level of education, so it would have meant many would have lost their jobs or were at risk of being imprisoned. Our trade union played a vital role to dismiss this requirement, through the negotiations with the authorities, after we submitted a Policy Letter of Memorandum to the Traffic Police. We also managed to increase our salaries to 3750 NPR (27,2€) per month. However, we still haven’t manged to ensure the full implement of the Social Security Law, which is our next priority. Meanwhile, we have started a solidarity fund, to which all taxi drivers contribute and so when one of us has an accident, they can get some financial support.”

GEFONT dedicated the WSM support to organizing young workers and equipping them with leadership skills. Based on examples from brick factories in Bhaktapur and for transport sector, it seems Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) are what young workers feel has the most important impact, as it improves the lives of not only their members, but of all workers. One of their important messages was that young leaders aren’t the leaders of tomorrow, they should be leaders today! Young workers shouldn’t have to wait for positions to be given by the current leadership, but should demand and take up leadership positions now already, as young workers have specific issues and face articular challenges (internships, lack of permanent contracts, more at risk for sexual harassment etc.).

The main achievement through the WSM support is that GEFONT was able to organize the young workers within the GEFONT rank and file. Ramesh Badal, Steering Committee member for Nepal

What has the most significant change for young leaders in trade unions?

15 young leaders of GEFONT discussed this today in Kathmandu, with the help of Gopal. Based on examples from brick factories in Bhaktapur and for transport sector, it seems Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) are what they feel has the most important impact, as it improves the lives of not only their members, but of all workers.

One of the important messages was that young leaders aren’t the leaders of tomorrow, they should be leaders today! It meant for participants they don’t have to wait for positions to be given by the current leadership, but to demand and take up leadership positions, as young workers have specific issues and face particular challenges (internships, lack of permanent contracts, more at risk for sexual harassment etc.) that need to be represented already now at leadership level of trade unions or during CBA negotiations.

Stories from the South: Dhanalakshmi, from AREDS

Dhanalakshmi shared this story with us:
I have been working as a health worker with AREDS for the past 18 years. I have two daughters, one who is twenty years old, named Anuschka, doing her second year MBB and my second daughter is doing tenth standard. My husband works in a trade union sector with AREDS for unorganized workers. I started the work because of the support from my husband. My husband believes that, if you approach things with a positive state of mind, we can change things, we can do great things. That positive energy pushed me to go work in the same field. Now, I work with pregnant women and since I’m happy, I can give words of encouragement to the pregnant women. I believe that if pregnant women receive positive energy and words, they can give birth more easily and to a healthy child. So we should all strive to have positive energy and thoughts. 





I try to ensure continuous follow up and a trust relationship with each family. We’re not there just for one or two months, we follow the same family for over five years. It means we sort of become members of that family. Starting with the pregnant mother, being there for the delivery, to when the child turns five years old, it creates a real bond. 

My first daughter got in the nursing school on merit basis, because of her high marks on the final examination, so she didn’t have to pay admission, but the other expenses for uniforms and study material are still very high. We get some support from AREDS, and we also have some land that we farm. Both our parents have also contributed from their savings.  I’m also a member and the coordinator of a self-help group supported by SWATE, which also promotes the education of the girls of members and provides educational support for higher studies. 

Some impact stories from CWM

96% of the workers in India work in the informal economy. Domestic workers, construction, you name it, most is unorganized, and so no taxes are paid. An important doorway to get the informal sector organized, is through social security. Employers in India often don't want to provide their workers with certification, because of course it would expose them. And the social security system can't accept anybody on their simple claim that they are working in a specific sector. This is where the trade union comes in. Pathinathan, from the Sivanganai Diocese, where he presides the local Christian Workers Movement India unit, explains how they set up a workers union for the construction that was registered in 1999. Hence, they can offer ID cards that allow the members access to social security. This gives them the right to education support (especially for daughters, to stimulate girls going to school), pension schemes (of 1.000Rps per month after 60 years) and insurance in case of death or accidents (max. 100.000Rps). Currently, they have over 650 members that can thus enjoy these benefits.

When asked what was the most significant change he had witnessed, he also shared the story of Boss, a Hindu guy with two children, who is illiterate. After getting involved with CWM and their awareness program regarding the importance of education, Boss went to great lengths to send his two children to schools and motivate them to study. The daughter has obtained a B Sc in chemistry and the boy... has just become a teacher in a public school. Such a change in a generation time.


Xavier, the representative from CWM from Trichy, brought up Regina, a dalit christian. Her husband and Regina worked as day workers, coolies, for big landowners. The revolving fund program of CWM allowed Regina to get a goat, which provided milk for cheese and she could quit working as a day worker, though her husband continued. With the money she made from the goat, she managed to get a piece of land, allowing her husband to also quit working as a coolie and now they produce their own crops. Regina lives in a dalit village, where her example had a snow ball effect among several of the 15 families living there. Regina now serves as the general secretary for the local CWM unit...