SANGAM

Three Star hotels settles disputes
Sangam Prasain
KATHMANDU, DEC 04, 2009- Maoist-affiliated hotel workers have settled their disputes with the management of three leading five-star hotels.

All Nepal Hotels and Restaurant Workers' Union (ANHRWU) and the management of The Yak & Yeti, Hyatt Regency and Del' Annapurna on Thursday agreed to increase the salaries of the workers on a flat rate.

According to ANHRWU general secretary Prakash Shrestha, Hotel Del' Annapurna has agreed to increase Rs. 1200, while, Hyatt Regency and Yak and Yeti agreed to increase Rs. 1300 in the workers' existing salaries.

The ANHRWU was demanding a 40 percent increase in salary and a 100 percent increase in dearness allowances. "We are holding discussions with the management of the Radisson Hotel," said Shrestha.

"We hope to reach a settlement with Hotel Malla, Hotel Everest and Hotel Dwarika's by Sunday," he added. B.K Shrestha, managing director at the Radisson Hotel informed that discussion was in progress.

According to Shrestha of ANHRWU, the management of the five-star hotels and the respective unions initiated the process to solve the dispute after Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) stepped aside from the issue. Maoist-affiliated ANHRWU began agitation in three five-star hotels-Radisson, Hyatt Regency and Yak and Yeti-two weeks ago.

ANHRWU has also given an ultimatum to the hotels in Chitwan, Pokhara and Nagarkot to meet their demands.

Madhav Om Shrestha, general secretary of HAN said that the union had been holding talks with the management of different hotels since Wednesday.

There are 65,000 workers working in different hotels and restaurants across the country directly and indirectly and there are 1300 to 1400 restaurants in the Kathmandu Valley.