Labour vows to struggle for ‘industrial democracy’

LAHORE, April 30: The working class will be reiterating its resolve to continue struggling for `industrial democracy' in the country on the World Labour Day on Sunday (today). The labour has been without its democratic right to freedom of association since February last year when the 18th Amendment was adopted, Pakistan Workers Federation Secretary-General Khurshid Ahmed told Dawn on Saturday. "The amendment is not only in violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed to workers under Article 17-A of the Constitution of Pakistan but also in contradiction of international obligations undertaken by the Pakistan government by ratifying International Labour Organisation Core Conventions Nos 87 and 98," said Mr Ahmed. The amendment has a consequential effect on the workers. It transferred item No 27 that was `Trade unions; industrial and labour disputes,' from concurrent to provincial list. The devolution enabled the provinces to legislate their own labour laws, barring workers from getting the nation-wide trade union and federation registered from National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC) as well as to get adjudicated their industrial disputes involving the workers of more than one province and determination of collective bargaining agent (CBA) trade union of workers in nation-wide enterprises or institutions. "Such anti-worker laws were not even framed before partition. The Punjab government laws have even eliminated the role of trade unions — the collective voice – as it empowers the employer to settle matters with the employee. "The Labour Policy was announced by the prime minister on May 1 last year, increasing the minimum wages of unskilled workers from Rs6,000 to Rs7,000 a month. The Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Lahore High Court have also directed the federal and provincial governments to enforce minimum wages policy. Ironically, several government departments are paying much less than the minimum wage to its employees. No government has the machinery to implement it," said the veteran trader union leader. The prime minister also promised to establish National Tripartite Health and Safety Council. The last tripartite meeting was inaugurated in February 2009, but it concluded without formulating any recommendation. No such meeting had been arranged since then though under the law the council should meet every six months. "Every year some 1.6 million youth enters the job market which is shedding the existing workers. Unprecedented rate of unemployment as a result of massive gas and electricity loadshedding besides law and order situation that forced closure of thousands of industrial units and increased prices of essential commodities several times within months, made the matters worse," he said. "Formal sector in industries is decreasing while informal sector is expanding. All laws cover formal sector industries and most women work in the informal sector, making them more vulnerable to exploitation. "The labour class struggled hard to force the government to adopt a bill to curb women workers harassment at workplace. The bill was adopted by the National Assembly and referred to the Senate where it remained pending for three months and lapsed. "No body is bothered about the women workers, majority of whom are being exploited and discriminated. They are paid less in spite of the fact that the government has ratified ILO Convention No 100 which calls for equal pay for equal work. "The government should make serious efforts to address the energy crises on emergent basis, arrange for technical and vocational training of 61 per cent children who do not go to school after primary grade, owing primarily to poverty. Education should be in commensurate with the job market," said Mr Ahmed. Labour Party Pakistan spokesperson Farooq Tariq said most of the workers in Pakistan still had to work for eight hours. They work long hours on a skimpy slave wages. "Many workers do two or three jobs a day just to live on. Workers in Pakistan have become the victims of a massive onslaught on their lives by successive military dictatorships and civilian governments. "Millions are unemployed or economically inactive in the country, wasting people's lives and talents. Others are on stupid short-term and short-hour contract working only when it suits the boss's immediate need. "The agricultural workers and women workers are worst paid. Most of the jobs are for 12-hour a day. The government has not lifted a ban on labour inspection of the factories imposed under the Gen Musharraf's tenure. "Women and kids come last in wealth and health. Hundreds of thousands of kids die each day of avoidable poverty, yet somehow there's always money for wars," said Mr Tariq.