In a developing country like Nepal there is always a
labor surplus, and with it unemployment and under-
employment. The result is a permanent danger of
exploitation low wages, long hours, poor working
condition, often unsafe and unhealthy, inadequate
clothing and equipment, no accident or health insurance,
and no pension provision. Anyone who has been trekking
in Nepal will have seen porters laboring under excessive
loads, wearing flip flops or cut – down Wellington
boots, and aged before their time Visitors to Nepal ,
even if they are young and traveling on a tight budget,
are relatively well – off compared to most local people.
We have responsibility to help those on whom we rely as
porters and guides improve their wages and conditions
and realize their right to a decent standard of living.
It has been estimated that there are some 20 – 25, 000
porters and guides in Nepal who depends for their living
on the trekking business. Many, if not most of these are
illegal in that they have no training and are
unlicensed. They are often uneducated and unaware of
basic safety procedures, which results in unnecessary
risks and accidents, and they are not insured. Many
trekking agencies are most concerned with driving costs
down than with the health, safety and well – being of
those they employ. It is in response workers, along with
workers in related fields, have formed a trade union,
the Union of Trekking, Travel, Rafting Airline and Cargo
Workers ( UNITRAV).
UNITRAV has around 3, 000 members. It is registered with
the Ministry of Labor of Nepal and affiliated to the
General Federation of Nepalese Travel Unions, the
largest trade union federation in Nepal. It seeks to
organize all workers in the sectors it covers. Its
activities include: action to improve wages and working
conditions; support for workers subject to
discrimination and oppression: and the provision of
services, such as clothing and equipment banks at
popular trekking starting points, shelters for porters
at high altitudes, regular health check – ups, rescue
and relief funds, and education and training programs.
It is also committed to ecologically sustainable
trekking. It negotiates on labor, tourism and
environmental issues with employers’ organizations and
the government.
When planning a trek we should be aware of the following
code of good practice:
Wherever possible, hire a porter or guide in Nepal, not
your own country, to ensure that money benefits the
Nepalese economy and Nepalese workers directly, rather
than overseas based companies.
Hire licensed porters and guides who are members of the
union. If in doubt, check that the trekking agency
recognizes the union and as to see the porter/ guide
license issued by the Nepalese government and the union
membership card.
Make sure that the trekking agency actually observes its
responsibility to ensure that its porters and guides are
properly trained, equipped, paid, and insured. Also
check this directly with the porters and guides,
themselves.
If you think your porter or guide is being exploited in
any way, complain to the agency and report it to the
union, which will intervene to defend their rights.
The union is responsible and seeks to reach agreement
with employers and the government, wherever possible. It
recognizes that there are limits to the wages that the
local economy can bear. However, it seeks to level up,
not down.
|
