Temporary, contract, and daily-wage employees have launched a protest.
On Wednesday, the employees staged a protest at Singha Durbar. On Tuesday, they held a sit-in at the Ministry of Finance.
The protest comes amid concerns that more than 50,000 employees working under the government across the federal, provincial, and local levels may soon lose their jobs.
The employees say they launched the agitation after learning that discussions had taken place at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers about sending temporary, contract, and daily-wage workers home from July 17.
As part of efforts to reduce administrative expenses and promote fiscal austerity, the government has proposed a policy to replace temporary and contract employees with workers hired through a contracting or outsourcing system from the upcoming fiscal year .
The protesters argue that this policy could displace employees who have served continuously for 10 to 25 years.
The demonstrators are demanding a one-time process to grant them permanent status, implementation of Supreme Court rulings issued in favor of employees, and provisions for inclusion in the Social Security Fund.
According to the protesting employees, the Supreme Court ordered in 2013 and again on August 18 last year that temporary and contract employees should receive benefits including cost-of-living allowances, medical treatment, gratuity, and Social Security Fund coverage. They allege that instead of implementing those rulings, the government is attempting to send them home empty-handed.
The employees say that they have repeatedly approached the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, but have received only assurances without concrete action.
