Maoist trade union closes down leading shoe factory

A Maoist affiliated trade union has closed down a shoe factory in Kathmandu following dispute with the factory's management.

Kiran Shoe Industries, makers of shoes and sandals like Gold Star and Hatti Chap Chappal, remains closed for the last 25 days after the Maoist affiliated trade union turned against the factory's management for initiating action against those involved in mistreatment of the factory's senior officers about a month ago.

On June 23, a group of factory workers had smeared black on the face of factory's technical supervisor and roughed up other four senior staff by accusing them of working against the interest of factory's workers and the trade union.

Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FNCC) President Kush Kumar Joshi told Kantipur Daily that a factory that features in the list of country's top exporters has become a victim of illegal closure.

He further said that the sorry fate of the factory, which exports more than 80 percent of its products and gives employment to some 1,500 people, sends a wrong signal to potential investors in the country. nepalnews.com