New Delhi: Maoist affiliated trade union activists in Nepal shut down two factories of Bottlers' Nepal, the manufacturer of Coca Cola in the country on Monday.
The activists were protesting the expulsion of temporary employees by the company.
Reports said Maoists have locked the Terai and Kathmandu factory units of the company at Bharatpur in Chitwan district and Kathmandu respectively.
Factory sources were quoted by news agency PTI as saying the lock down of the factories has affected business worth about Rs nine million.
The management of the company said they were compelled to halt operations after the Maoists padlocked the main gates of the factories on Sunday.
The Maoists have claimed that the company expelled 55 workers without any reason and warned they would "indefinitely close the factories if the management fails to heed to their demands as per the agreement reached between the two sides a few months ago,” PTI quoted factory sources.
Four months ago, Bottlers' Nepal and the Maoist trade union had agreed to give the temporary workers permanent status and fix their minimum basic salaries.
Earlier, the Cola giant had suffered a set back in October when Madhesi Mukti Morcha, a Maoist affiliated group, had banned selling of its products in Terai alleging racial discrimination.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter and Google+)
displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of CNN-IBN does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them.