Along with these youngs, we all are with you prime minister!

August 24th, 2016

“When I became minister once- my persona was something. In my tenure I gave employment to more than Twenty-six hundred people. I was removed from the post not because I did something wrong, but because I was with the people. I thought something will happen. That very Day in my official residence, my personal security guard came, lowered the flag, saluted me and left. I looked around- my Personal Secretary had already left me. My wife, who would otherwise be busy preparing tea endlessly for the endless visitors, was sitting there staring at me. A dog was besides me wagging tail. And I thought this is the language of power! When you have it, you are surrounded by masses of people; when your power is stripped off, you are alone!

Chair of the Session Cde Mukunda Neupane,
Chief Guest Rt Hon’ble Prime Minister of Nepal and President of CPN- UML Cde K.P. Sharma Oli,
Dear Comrades,

First of all I welcome all the distinguished guests, delegates, media persons and workers on behalf of GEFONT and its 4 hundred thousand members.

GEFONT was established in 20th July 1989. And, after many hit and trials National Congress Delegates’ Council is set-up as permanent body for acting as ‘parliament’ with the right to amend constitutional and policy- related issues. The council finalises the annual plan and programme and revisits the work done by National Executive Committee as the democratic procedure of checks and balance. This year is very significant for us, we are amending our staute as per the provision of federal states and will remove some old structures, which will be unnecessary as per new provision; and add new structures as needed.

Last year on November 2; I had said here

“Country has now a new constitution, as per this constitution… … one of the leaders of well-known “Jhapa Movement” is now Prime Minister of the country. The wife of Late Madan Bhandari- the People’s leader, political thinker and the propagator of People’s Multi Party Democracy is now head of the state. The important figures of decade long insurgency are now deputy head of state and Speaker of the house respectively. The history is now institutionalised. … People’s   aspirations since 6 decades to write the constitution of sovereign Nepal by themselves has now come to the decisive end. Our struggle and movement for rights and writing constitution has reached conclusion.”

Nepal was under undeclared blockade in southern border at the time when I was saying this. And, conspiracy against our state and constitution was continued and was under serious threat. Therefore, we had concluded that along with the challenge to protect and institutionalise our achievements we also have huge possibilities and potentials.

There is folklore of an axe and a tree. The axe was cutting the tree; next tree witnessing this started crying. The tree getting chopped asked, “Why are you crying? It is our destiny to be chopped!” The tree crying said, “I am not crying because I did not know this fact or for the fear of getting hurt. I am crying because we are getting chopped by our own- the axe handle is wood like you and me”.

Today once again we are in difficult juncture after passing through many ups and downs, and we too are forced the same destiny as that tree. The new alliance formed post the promulgation of constitution has now broken down adding to the existing challenges. The Session of the House to begin from tomorrow in legislature parliament if fail to reach in an understanding, that will push overall achievements vulnerable to threat including our labour agenda.

We have here with us, our honourable Prime Minister. We are all aware of his busy schedule. Therefore I will not take much time and will refresh for your understanding some of our agenda, which we had put forward nine months ago.

We had said- our agenda is a triangle of fair pay- responsibility- and social protection.

• Wage-lead growth rather than productivity-led
• Conducive environment for doing business
• Unemployment benefits for a worker who loose job all of sudden

We had said, we need a new mechanism to monitor whether the rights along with duties are fulfilled or not:

• A permanent mechanism in legislature parliament as “multi stakeholder Socio- Economic Dialogue Forum”-where representatives of trade unions and employers’ organisations are invited for policy dialogue with member of parliament
• Pass the bills on Social security and amendment of labour act; which are now dumped in council of ministers
• Revisit minimum wage sooner than later
• Election of collective bargaining agent should be held in civil service and service sector public enterprises to form a single union to have dialogue with the management. Create environment to conduct collective bargain at one time in all of the private sector’s enterprises.
• Legal recognition to Joint Trade Union Coordination Centre (JTUCC), formed by all the trade unions of Nepal and which has already got recognition by the state and employers’ organisations in practice.
• Trade union representative in National Reconstruction Authority to mobilise the workers as a part of a campaign for post earthquake reconstruction

Rt. Honourable Prime Minister! We would like to offer you our sincere gratitude that you have included our various agenda, of which we have high optimism, in the Government’s policy and programme, and the budget:

• For the first time in the history of Asia election was held in Nepal for authentic trade union in civil service sector. This step has built base for managing trade union movement in civil service.
• The bill to replace the current labour act and social security bill is in the parliament. The Government has expressed commitment to start the contributory social security schemes from this fiscal year for workers. Likewise the Government has also committed to revisit the present provident fun and gratuity mechanism to manage pension related issues of the workers and employees.
• The budget has the provision for a compulsory accident insurance of workers from industrial sector, tourism, transport and construction industries.
• The government has made commitment to establish at least one labour office in each province and implement labour inspection system to avoid labour disputes.
• Initiation to establish a multi-stakeholder socio-economic mechanism in the parliament for policy level discussion.
• The Government has committed to arrange policy and legal provisions to utilise the remittance for country’s development; build infrastructure with the involvement of citizens and increase access of workers to the means of production.
• Proposal to begin the system of examining and certifying Nepali workers’ skill who have returned from foreign employment with the involvement of Council for technical education and vocational training  (CTEVT) and fit in these workers in Nepali labour market.
• I do not think it is necessary to go into details about the Government’s declaration to increase incentives of health volunteers; revisit workers’ minimum wage, salary increment of civil service employees, issue of health and education in social security concept, everyone present in this hall are aware about it.

Friends have asked me to thank Rt. Hon’ble PM KP Sharma Oli for all these good initiations.

Still the three responsibilities are remained as unfinished tasks- implementation of Constitution, Post earthquake reconstruction and socio-economic prosperity programme! We are worried, what will happen to these agendas of ours, which are also a national agenda?

In the end, I would like to share with you an instance; a parliamentarian from Nepali Congress was sharing his experience with me-

“When I became minister once- my persona was something. In my tenure I gave employment to more than Twenty-six hundred people. I was removed from the post not because I did something wrong, but because I was with the people. I thought something will happen. That very Day in my official residence, my personal security guard came, lowered the flag, saluted me and left. I looked around- my Personal Secretary had already left me. My wife, who would otherwise be busy preparing tea endlessly for the endless visitors, was sitting there staring at me. A dog was besides me wagging tail. And I thought this is the language of power! When you have it, you are surrounded by masses of people; when your power is stripped off, you are alone!

I got an email from Australia, which read “ Bishnu, you have made your friends proud and your PM has made all Nepalis proud!”

Rt. Hon’ble Prime Minister! The media is now filled with news “those nine months” and “these nine months”- comparing to the history. Nepalis are now thinking- does a good Government survive only short term? And, only Government with average record or worst and poor performance can survive long?

Now the country is going through a undeclared referendum, as I believe. When we see the streets and roads filled with young generation voluntarily holding placard and wearing T-shirt written “#I am with K P Oli”! It inspires us, we feel proud!

Along with these young generations; GEFONT family, entire working class, and we all are with you PM KP Oli!

Let me ask this hall- Colleagues, can you please raise placards that you have in your hand?

Look- it reads- I am with KP Oli!

Comrades! You are with PM Oli, I am with PM Oli, we are with PM Oli, All the best Rt. Hon’ble PM Oli!

I welcome you all once again, Thank you!

(President’s speech in the Inaugural session of 6^th Meeting of the GEFONT National Congress Delegates’ Council; July 20, 2016)