KATHMANDU, Jan 3: The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security has decided to form a task force to address the demands raised by victims of the Employment Permit System (EPS).
A meeting held on Thursday under the chairmanship of Labour Minister Rajendra Singh Bhandari resolved to constitute a recommendation task force to suggest measures for improving the process of forwarding the personal details of workers listed in the EPS roster for employment in South Korea to prospective employers.
Govt forms task force to address demands of contractors
The meeting also decided to initiate diplomatic efforts to increase quotas under the EPS and to address concerns raised by workers who, despite passing the Korean language test, have been unable to secure employment.
EPS victims have been staging protests since Wednesday, pressing the government with a nine-point demand. Their demands include prioritising workers from the agricultural sector, who they say are the most affected; reinstating all workers removed unjustly from the roster; mandating that the files of EPS-qualified workers who have been waiting for years be sent to companies at least 10 times; ending the practice of repeatedly offering opportunities to the same individuals; and providing special relief and concessions to those forced to wait for prolonged periods.
The protesters have also called for direct dialogue between victims and concerned authorities, clear legal provisions to prevent discriminatory decisions across sectors, government responsibility for the economic and psychological hardships faced by families due to delays in the EPS process, and arrangements to ensure that at least 95 per cent of workers listed in the roster are sent to South Korea.
