WFTU | TRADE UNION INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICES & ALLIED
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARIAT
E-mail: tui@nehawu.org.za | Website: tuipublicservice.org
To: The Nepalese Prime Minister
Att: Prime Minister Balendra Shah
Date: 19 April 2026
Subject: Complaint against Nepal Government’s Cabinet Decision of the 27th of March 2026 violating the International Law and the Nepal’s Constitution
Dear Prime Minister Shah,
The above subject bears reference. We formally write to you, for and on behalf of the Trade Union International – Public Service and Allied (TUI-PS&A), a strategic component of the World Federation of Trade Unions, the WFTU, to express our discontent and grave concern as we condemn with strongest term the recent decision of the Cabinet and Government of Nepal to deregister and dissolve public service trade unions.
This decision undermines all efforts to boost public administration efficiency and excludes the voice of critical representatives (public trade unions) - those who are at the point of service or at the coalface of public service delivery to the people of Nepal.
In our view, this decision is tantamount to labour aristocracy and ‘divide and conquer’ which weakens as oppose to building a developmental state. We view it as a strategy of Nepalese government to pursue a neoliberal policy as a form of an aggressive attack to the hard-won workers’ rights recognised internationally. Such actions undermine Nepalese workers’ rights to representatives, their right to organise, freedom of association, and the right to collective bargaining. This, we believe, is done as a strategy to create conditions in which labour exploitation, cheap labour and poor pay will flourish.
This Cabinet decision does not only violate Articles 34 and 35 of the very Nepal 2015 Constitution which guarantees the right to form, join trade unions and engage in collective bargaining but it is also a fundamental breach of the principles of freedom of association and it specifically violates:
- Convention No. 87 (Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise), and
- Convention No. 98 (Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining).
The Nepalese Government had long ago ratified these Conventions hence this government’s decision represents a new form of interference that contravenes Article 11 of ILO Convention 87 which obliges the State to take measures to prevent any interference either by individuals, organisations or public authorities with such rights.
It is important to explicitly express that workers delivering public services do not fall outside the scope of the fundamental labour rights but, on the contrary, the ability of these workers to unionise has historically ensured better wages, safer working conditions, stronger staffing, and improved public services and these proposed restrictions threaten to reverse these gains.
We also recall that during previous periods of regression, including the suspension of trade union rights in 2005, the international community—through ILO and with the intervention of WFTU—acted to uphold these fundamental freedoms. The current situation regrettably echoes those past violations and risks placing Nepal in breach of its international commitments once again.
Official Demands of TUI-PS&A
In light of the above, TUI-PS&A firmly demands:
- Immediate Withdrawal: The immediate withdrawal of this and any other decisions or policy aimed at deregistering or dissolving public service trade unions.
- Constitutional Respect: Full respect for the constitutional rights of workers to organize, associate and engage in collective bargaining.
- Structured Dialogue: Immediate dialogue with representative trade union organizations to resolve concerns in a democratic and participatory manner.
- Global Compliance: Compliance with Nepal’s obligations under ILO Conventions and international labour standards.
Failure to reverse this decision will not only damage Nepal’s international standing but also have serious consequences for labour relations and social stability within the country. We hope and trust that Nepal government will give this matter an urgent attention it deserves and take immediate corrective measures.
Yours Sincerely,
Zola Saphetha
General Secretary
2026/04/19
