Trade Union Act, 1992

What does it do?

• Workers in an establishment can form a union to protect their occupational rights. 'Worker' is defined broadly: permanent, temporary, contract, daily-wage, piece-rate and sub-contracted workers, agricultural labourers and self-employed people are covered, but managers and heads of departments or units are not. To register, a union must apply to the Registrar with the signatures of at least ten members, its statute and the fee; the Registrar must register it within 15 days if the application is complete. A union is not registered unless at least 25% of the establishment's workers are members, and no worker may belong to more than one establishment-level union.प्रतिष्ठानमा काम गर्ने कामदारले आफ्नो पेशागत हकहित जोगाउन ट्रेड युनियन खोल्न पाउँछन्। ‘कामदार’ को परिभाषा फराकिलो छ: स्थायी, अस्थायी, करार, दैनिक ज्यालादारी, पिसरेट र ठेक्कामा काम गर्ने कामदार, कृषि श्रमिक र स्वरोजगार व्यक्ति समेटिन्छन्, तर व्यवस्थापक र विभाग वा इकाई प्रमुख समेटिँदैनन्। दर्ताका लागि कम्तीमा दश जना सदस्यको हस्ताक्षर, विधान र दस्तुरसहित पञ्जिकाधिकारीसमक्ष निवेदन दिनुपर्छ; निवेदन रीतपूर्वकको भए पञ्जिकाधिकारीले १५ दिनभित्र दर्ता गरिदिनुपर्छ। प्रतिष्ठानका कम्तीमा २५ प्रतिशत कामदार सदस्य नभएको युनियन दर्ता हुँदैन, र एउटै कामदार एकभन्दा बढी प्रतिष्ठानस्तरीय युनियनको सदस्य हुन पाउँदैन। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Section 2(b)–(b1), p. 2; Section 3, p. 4
• Unions can join together. A trade union federation can be formed by at least 50 establishment-level unions, by at least 5,000 agricultural workers from at least 20 districts (100 from each), or by at least 5,000 workers in establishments of the same kind; 500 workers or self-employed people outside establishments in the same line of work can also form one. At least ten federations can form a confederation. A union, federation or confederation may belong to only one body at the next level.युनियनहरू मिलेर माथिल्लो तहको संगठन बनाउन सक्छन्। कम्तीमा ५० प्रतिष्ठानस्तरीय युनियन, कम्तीमा २० जिल्लाका (प्रत्येक जिल्लाबाट १००) ५,००० कृषि श्रमिक, वा एकै प्रकृतिका प्रतिष्ठानका कम्तीमा ५,००० कामदार मिलेर ट्रेड युनियन संघ बनाउन सक्छन्; प्रतिष्ठानबाहिर एकै प्रकृतिको काम गर्ने ५०० कामदार वा स्वरोजगारले पनि संघ बनाउन सक्छन्। कम्तीमा दश संघ मिलेर महासंघ बन्छ। युनियन, संघ वा महासंघ माथिल्लो तहको एउटा मात्र संगठनको सदस्य हुन सक्छ। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Sections 4–5, pp. 4–6
• In each establishment, the union that wins a majority of workers' votes in an election becomes the 'authorised union' that bargains collectively with management, for two years. Where only one union is registered and no other is registered within three months, that union is recognised. An authorised union may not strike, or help a strike, without completing the procedure set by labour law.प्रत्येक प्रतिष्ठानमा निर्वाचनमा कामदारको बहुमत पाउने युनियन व्यवस्थापनसँग सामूहिक सौदाबाजी गर्ने ‘आधिकारिक ट्रेड युनियन’ बन्छ, र यो मान्यता दुई वर्षका लागि रहन्छ। एउटा मात्र युनियन दर्ता भएको र तीन महिनाभित्र अर्को दर्ता नभएमा त्यही युनियनलाई मान्यता दिइन्छ। आधिकारिक युनियनले श्रम कानूनले तोकेको प्रक्रिया पूरा नगरी हडताल गर्न वा हडताललाई सघाउन पाउँदैन। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Sections 11–13, pp. 11–12
• The government appoints Registrars to register and oversee unions. Each union must have its accounts audited and file an annual report with the Registrar within three months of the end of the fiscal year, including its number of fee-paying members; the Registrar must cancel a registration in the cases listed in the Act. Elected officers of an establishment-level union may not be transferred or promoted without their consent except in special circumstances.युनियन दर्ता र निगरानीका लागि नेपाल सरकारले पञ्जिकाधिकारी नियुक्त गर्छ। प्रत्येक युनियनले लेखापरीक्षण गराई आर्थिक वर्ष सकिएको तीन महिनाभित्र शुल्क तिर्ने सदस्य सङ्ख्यासहितको वार्षिक विवरण पञ्जिकाधिकारीसमक्ष पेस गर्नुपर्छ; ऐनमा तोकिएका अवस्थामा पञ्जिकाधिकारीले दर्ता खारेज गर्नुपर्छ। प्रतिष्ठानस्तरीय युनियनका पदाधिकारीलाई विशेष परिस्थितिबाहेक उनीहरूको सहमतिबिना सरुवा वा बढुवा गरिँदैन। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Sections 14–15, pp. 12–13; Section 23A and Sections 24–25, p. 15
• If an officer, member or employee embezzles or damages union property, the Labour Court can order repayment of the amount and impose a fine of up to Rs 5,000, up to one year's imprisonment, or both; failing to file, or filing false, reports can draw a fine of up to Rs 500 from the Registrar. Cases must be filed within three months, and Labour Court decisions can be appealed to the High Court.पदाधिकारी, सदस्य वा कर्मचारीले युनियनको सम्पत्ति हिनामिना वा हानि नोक्सानी गरेमा श्रम अदालतले त्यति रकम भराउने आदेश दिई पाँच हजार रुपैयाँसम्म जरिबाना वा एक वर्षसम्म कैद वा दुवै सजाय गर्न सक्छ; विवरण पेस नगरेमा वा झुटो विवरण दिएमा पञ्जिकाधिकारीले पाँच सय रुपैयाँसम्म जरिबाना गर्न सक्छ। मुद्दा तीन महिनाभित्र दायर गर्नुपर्छ, र श्रम अदालतको निर्णयउपर उच्च अदालतमा पुनरावेदन लाग्छ। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Sections 27A–29, pp. 17–18

Gaps, loopholes and improvement ideas

None documented in the official reports we have reviewed so far.

Where does it conflict with other laws?

No conflict with another law is documented in the sources we have reviewed so far.

Regulations and rules made under it

• ट्रेड युनियन नियमावली, २०५० In force