ALiCO management and employees descend in disputes

American Life Insurance Company (ALiCO) has seen disputes as the employees went into the strike with some demands contrary to the claims of management that it was providing adequate facilities to the employees.

The employees have claimed that the management held them inside the office padlocking the entrance gate Friday morning.

The employees have claimed that they were reasonably demanding the security and guarantee to the rights of forming organization for professional betterment, distribution of equal facilities including allowance, transparency, justice in appointment and promotion and end of one sided decisions of management among others.

Basudev Wasti, secretary of ALiCO Employee Association said that they came into strike after the management remained indifferent to their demands within one month long deadline of the submission of ultimatum. He also claimed that the management also misbehaved the agitating employees in their peaceful protest.

DK Lal Singh, an ALiCO official, on the other hand, has claimed that the company was providing facilities such as provident fund, gratuity, reimbursement of self medical expenses, Dashain allowance, annual merit increment, lunch allowance with overtime and leave fare assistance.

He also argued that the management has agreed to increase Rs. 500 in basic salary, provide Rs. 5oo allowance to the cashiers, apply public holiday, and manage group insurance among others.

However employees have termed those facilities as illusionary stating that the management unilaterally made the decision and was not calling them for negotiations. Secretary Wasti said that the management has not enforced most of the facilities claimed by the management as having been provided.

He also said that being a multinational company, ALiCO has been providing the salary even less than local companies stating that the company was unable to manage appropriate security arrangement. He also said they didn't have insurance and overtime though they have been working 9 hours per day which is against existing law.

A tension was created between management side and protesting employee side on the issues during the first office hours Friday.