NAC trade unions at loggerheads

SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, DEC 27 -
Unions at the Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) that had united against the Fifth Freedom Right awarded to Air Arabia are now divided on whether NAC Managing Director Kul Bahadur Limbu be allowed to enter the office.

After the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed a corruption case against NAC Executive Chairman Sugat Ratna Kansakar and suspended him, the executive authority of the corporation has fallen into Limbu’s hands.

The unions’ meeting held on Monday discussed the matter extensively. However, no agreement was reached.

“If we were to stop Limbu from entering the office, there will be more delay in bringing back the aircraft that was sent for maintenance,” said Rajendra Regmi, president of Nepal National Employees’ Union, after the meeting.

Regmi added that disrupting the administrative and management work would further increase the cost of the aircraft maintenance. “So, we decided to let Limbu to resume work on Monday.”

On the other hand, Tarani Raj Dahal, president of NAC Employee’ Association, said the meeting did not withdraw the agitation and Limbu would not be allowed to resume duty.

Dahal said that until the post of Chairman that has remained vacant after the suspension of Kansakar is filled, there are fears that the board may take a unilateral decision. “We can make the payment for aircraft maintenance until Jan. 10,” added Dahal. According to Dahal, the unions’ are scheduled to meet Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Sharat Singh Bhandari and Secretary Kishore

Thapa on Tuesday to press them to fill the Chairman’s post at the earliest.

The NAC trade unions had called an indefinite strike in NAC’s domestic operation two weeks ago, demanding that the government revoke its decision to allow Air Arabia to operate Kathmandu-Kuala Lumpur flights.

The unified trade union committee had also barred NAC’s top-level officials from carrying out their duties and demanded they lobby with the government to immediately begin the purchase process of new aircraft and end the ongoing dispute regarding the executive power of NAC.