Unilever Nepal Ltd, one of the biggest Indian joint-venture industries in Nepal, has closed its factory in Basamadi, Makwanpur district, from Wednesday owing to treats from the Maoist-affiliated All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF).
The company’s management, in a notice Tuesday, said the factory would remain closed indefinitely as the demands made by the Maoist trade union, which include reinstatement of expelled workers, end to contract system in recruitment, 25 percent mandatory increment in wages every two years and removal of all non-Nepali workers from the factory, reports said.
In a statement on July 31, the ANTUF had warned of indefinite shutdown in the factory if its 15-point demands were not met by today. The management has already notified the concerned side that it is unable to meet the demands.
There are 135 workers at the factory whose production varieties include soap brands, toothpaste, shampoo and cosmetics. Unilever Nepal, which has seen closures following Maoist threat several times in the past, is a subsidiary of Hindustan Lever, an Indian multinational company.
With the closure, at least half a dozen local industries depending on he raw materials produced by Unilever has been affected badly, reports added.