Kathmandu, Aug 31 – The Maoist-affiliated All Nepal Trade Union Federation is hosting an interaction program titled “Workers with Lawmakers” at Hotel Soaltee, Kathmandu, on September 1. Maoist-aligned members of the House of Representatives and National Assembly are expected to attend.

According to the All Nepal Hotel, Casino, and Restaurant Workers’ Union, the program aims to draw lawmakers’ attention to malpractices in the labor sector, denial of basic facilities, and illegal employment practices. The union has long been pressing the government to legally reinstate the 10 percent service charge, scrapped earlier despite being mentioned in the FY 2082/83 budget.

To intensify the demand, the union is launching a nationwide workers’ signature campaign from September 1. Employees from hotels, motels, restaurants, resorts, casinos, fast-food outlets, nightlife venues, cable cars, and party palaces will take part. The signatures will be submitted to the government through the Joint Trade Union Coordination Centre (JTUCC). Union president Kumar Pant said the campaign would expand across all seven provinces until the government takes concrete steps.