Political instability and trade union practices in Nepalese hotels

This paper explores the effects of political instability on trade union practices in the tourism industry by examining how the roles of trade unions alter in relation to changes in the causes of political instability. The data on which this paper is based were collected through unstructured interviews with 22 trade union officials and members employed in hotels in Kathmandu, Nepal from April 2015 to February 2016. The results show that the dominant roles played by the trade unions in the Nepalese tourism industry have changed over the last 25 years from primarily seeking to improve workers' rights and conditions, to being instruments of the political parties, and to protecting the industry. The study contributes to our understanding of the fragility of industrial relations within the tourism industry in Nepal, and how this can be exacerbated in an environment characterized by ongoing instability.