Maoist trade union bars trekking agents from sending guides, porters to Annapurna region

The Unified CPN (Maoist) affiliated All Nepal Tourism Workers Union (ANTWU) has asked trekking agents not to send any helpers including guides and porters along with foreign trekkers going to the Annapurna region blaming the government of showing apathy towards ensuring proper wage to the tourism labourers.

ANTWU’s Kaski chapter president Dhana Bahadur Tamang wrote to tourism entrepreneurs requesting them not to send trekking guides, porters, Sherpas and helpers in the route from March 14.

ANTWU has demanded a hike of wages paid to the tourism workers. They have demanded for at least Rs 1,400 per day for a guide, Rs 1,100 per day for Sherpa guides, Rs 1,000 for helps, Rs 1100 for camping guide, Rs 1,000 for cook, Rs 800 for spare Sherpa kitchen (Rs 1,200 for dry kitchen), insurance worth Rs 1.5 million for each person, a written contract for all workers among other things.

ANTWU has also said, it will resort to further stringent protest programmes if their demand is not fulfilled within March 18.

Tourism entrepreneurs have said, such move will hit the tourism industry badly particularly at a time when Nepal is observing Nepal Tourism Year 2011. Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had signed a pledge along with leaders of other major political parties not to organise any strikes that hampers the Tourism Year. nepalnews.com