May 2: Julan Majhi, 40, of Kauwa forest in Sakhuwa Prasauni Rural Municipality-3 of Parsa has no idea about the International Labour Day. Majhi, who is busy with daily labor for livelihood, was not given any leave on May Day. He worked on road construction in Rampur of Palpa on May 1, which is the International Labour Day.

He started working as a laborer at the age of 10 and it has already been more than three decades since then. He has already worked in the fields of road construction, building and bridge construction, and transportation of goods. He was busy with his daily work even on the Labour Day. Majhi remarked, “What is Labour Day? We need to work every day. The stove in the house does not light up on days when I don’t work.” He earns a daily wage of Rs 600 and supports his family of 4 including children.

Raju Majhi, 25, of Parsa is also busy with labor. He works hard to blacktop the roads from morning till evening. He was also unaware of Labour Day on Sunday. He said, “There is not enough to eat without work. I cannot expect somebody to earn for me. I need to take care of my wife and children at home.”

Tikaram Pun, 30, of Purtighat in Gulmi's Kali Gandaki Municipality-4 was busy with house construction on the Labour Day. He knows that Labour Day is celebrated on May 1, but it did not make any difference in his routine. He has been working for five years and gets a daily wage of Rs 750. However, if he is late for work even by a single hour, his wage is deducted.

While celebrating the Labour Day, the workers demanded the government to increase the wages on time, provide employment in the villages and create an environment for people compelled to go for foreign employment to stay in the country itself.

Netra Bahadur Rana, 42, of Bahkhola in Rampur Municipality-7 has been earning a living for the past six years. Lately, the election activity in the village is increasing. Leaders and activists are giving him various assurances. But he does not have faith in those leaders and activists as they will not return back after the election.

Most of the workers working in the informal sector are dissatisfied with the government's inability to work for the welfare of the workers. Workers complained that they are not getting even the minimum wage set by the state. They complained that they have to work for wages fixed in the past but the prices of goods and services in the market are constantly rising at present.