Nepal Civil Service Trade Union Crisis Draws Global Solidarity at 114th ILO Conference
11th June 2026, Kathmandu
During the 114th International Labour Conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO) currently underway in Geneva, the issue of government intervention in trade union rights within Nepal’s civil service sector has become a matter of concern for international labor organizations.
The conference, being held from June 1 to 12, has brought together more than 5,000 participants, including government, employer, and worker representatives from 187 countries. This year’s discussions are particularly focused on legal frameworks concerning the rights of workers engaged in the platform economy.
In this context, the International Trade Union Confederation Asia-Pacific (ITUC-AP) organized a special program to discuss the Nepal government’s dissolution of civil service trade unions and to express solidarity with the Nepali labor movement.
Opening the program, Shoya Yoshida, General Secretary of ITUC-AP, explained the purpose and background of the meeting. Subsequently, Binod Shrestha, President of the Joint Trade Union Coordination Centre, presented a position paper on behalf of Nepali trade unions. He stated that the Nepal government had abolished trade unions in the civil service sector, removed worker representatives from tripartite mechanisms through an ordinance, and attempted to restrict the labor movement.
Representatives from countries including Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Israel, Japan, and Malaysia expressed their views on the paper, stating that restricting trade union rights is contrary to democratic values. They also affirmed their strong support for the Nepali labor movement and trade unions.
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During the program, Bishnu Rimal, former president of the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions and former chief political advisor to Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli, presented a detailed analysis of Nepal’s current political situation and the treatment of civil service trade unions.
Uttam Katuwal, President of the Nepal Civil Servants Union, said that he met with Labor Minister Ramji Yadav during the conference to brief him on the situation of the union and submit a memorandum. He also expressed gratitude to the international representatives who had shown solidarity with Nepali trade unions.
Ajay Kumar Rai, General Secretary of the Nepal Trade Union Congress and Executive Board Member of the International Transport Workers’ Federation, conveyed a message from ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton, stating that the organization had taken serious note of the actions taken by the Nepal government against trade unions.
He added that ITF remains committed to standing with Nepali workers in defense of labor rights and democracy.
Concluding the event, Eric Manzi, Deputy General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation in Brussels, noted that ITUC—representing around 200 million members worldwide—stands with Nepal’s workers and trade unions. He expressed confidence that the labor movement would ultimately succeed.
Earlier, under the coordination of the Nepali Embassy in Geneva, Labor Minister Ramji Yadav held discussions with employer and worker representatives on current labor issues. On that occasion, the Nepal Civil Servants Union also submitted a memorandum outlining its demands to the minister.
