Lalitpur, May 27: State Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Narendra Bikram Nemwang today stressed unity among trade unions to protect rights of the workers.

“Able leadership is essential for the development of sectoral organisations as well as the nation,” Nemwang said addressing a five-day workshop on ‘Building Trade Union in 21st Century through Leadership Development’ here this morning. The Nepali Congress government is committed to enhance rights and welfare of the workers, he added.

Nepal Trade Union Congress (NTUC) President Laxman Bahadur Basnet said that the workers could enjoy their rights only if they were united.

Basnet stressed the need to take necessary measures to protect national industries that were on the verge of collapse due to the wave of liberalisation.

NTUC central member Rajendra Acharya, ICFTU (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions) representative P. Haridashan, Bangladesh Workers’ Council representative Sakil Chaudhari and Asha Singh Rathour spoke on workers’ welfare and international trade union movement.

Organised jointly by NTUC and ICFTU, the workshop is being participated in by about 30 individuals – NTUC district representatives and others.