KATHMANDU More than 200,000 striking hotel employees went back to work March 16 after the government declared their walkout illegal. However, the workers say they will keep up their battle for a 10% service charge to be added to hotel bills and are vowing to launch a legal challenge to the government action.
Hotel owners here, who have strongly opposed the introduction of a service charge, welcomed the ban on strikes. The hotel owners say the 10% service charge, in addition to the 12% government taxes already levied, would discourage tourism, which has been falling. Total tourist arrivals fell 10.6% to 376,000 in 2000 from a year ago. (3/16/01)
SOURCE:Reuters