Hotel Association Nepal signs agreement with workers

Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) and three main trade unions related to the hospitality industry on Tuesday renewed the agreement to help facilitate the means of livelihood of employees engaged in the industry.

As per the renewed agreement, employees of five-star hotels and resorts will be paid Rs 5,000 as monthly salary while those working in four-star facilities will be provided Rs 4,000. Similarly, staffs of three-star hotels will receive Rs 3,000 and employees of two-star facilities will get Rs 2,500. Those working in one-star hotels and resorts will be paid Rs 2,000 a month. However, employees at tourist-standard hotels will be provided with salary as per the mutual understanding between employers and employees.

Previously, the monthly salary for workers in five-star facilities was Rs 9,000 with those involved in four-star facilities receiving Rs 8,000. Meanwhile, employees of three-star and two-star facilities received Rs 5,000 and Rs 4,300, respectively.

As per the new pact, no staffer will be given any allowance or bonus during the validity of the agreement reached among HAN and trade unions.

Likewise, employees will have to report to work in shifts according to the requirement. The agreement also states that workers who are not called in for their duty will also get the monthly salary. Trainee workers, utility workers and casual workers, meanwhile, will not be allowed to work.

The agreement also states that if any employee resigns or considers voluntary retirement or wants to leave due to the age factor during the agreement period, they will be given a lump-sum amount up till the date when the nationwide lockdown was imposed. If any employee quits their job without prior notice just after receiving the specified salary, they will be removed from the list of any facility or grants to be provided by the hotel industry.

The agreement also states that the tourism industry in the country came to a halt and lost business due to the nationwide lockdown and were compelled to a force majeure situation due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The agreement was signed by HAN President Shreejana Rana and representatives of the concerned trade unions. The pact will remain effective till December 31. The agreement will be implemented by a task force that has been formed for the purpose.

Previously, the three trade unions — All Nepal Hotel Casino and Restaurant Workers’ Union, Nepal Free Hotel, Casino and Restaurant Workers Union; and Nepal Tourism and Hotel Workers Union — had signed an agreement with HAN for uniform pay structure, on July 12, 2020, that expired on December 31, 2020.