Workers demand uniform labour laws

ISLAMABAD, May 1: Rallies were brought out on Sunday in the twin cities and the adjoining areas to observe the May Day, as the workers bemoaned lack of comprehensive and uniform labour laws to secure their rights. Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF) staged a rally from Marrir Chowk to Moti Mehal in Rawalpindi. Pakistan Postal Headquarters CBA, Pak Telecom Labour Union (PTCL), Railway Workers Union (Open Line), National Students Federation (NSF), Workers Party Pakistan (WPP) and Labour Party Pakistan (LPP) brought out a rally from Zero Point to Aabpara Chowk in Islamabad. The rallies were attended by hundreds of workers including men, women and children. In their speeches, the union leaders deplored that this year the Labour Day was being observed when there were no laws to protect workers' rights. They said the Industrial Relations Act (IRA-2008) lapsed on April 30 last year without any replacement. A whole year has passed but the government could not bring uniform labour laws, they regretted. They rejected what they said neo-liberal policies of international financial institutions. They also asked the government to fill the vacuum in labour laws created because of the 18th amendment. They also rapped the government for increase in prices, unemployment, increasing poverty and low wages. They said the continuing price hike, joblessness and poverty had deprived the working class of "a decent and honourable life". They also demanded social security and better wages for workers and end to privatisation. They called on the International Labour Organisation and the government to take steps for implementing labours laws and to solve problems of daily-wages workers. The speakers called for introducing a constitutional amendment in the parliament to protect labour laws affected due to the 18th amendment. In Rawalpindi addressing the rally, PWF Chairman Zafarullah Khan Niazi asked the Punjab government to release the salaries of Public Works Department's employees, which had not been paid for the last nine months. In Islamabad, Workers Party Pakistan and other organisations held a joint rally from Zero Point to Aabpara Chowk. Carrying red flags, the participants chanted slogans, calling for the unity of the working class. Addressing the rally, Aasim Sajjad of WPP, Nisar Shah of LPP, Moazzam Ali Zahid of the Postal Action Committee, Azad Qadri of PTCL, Azam Janjua of Socialist Movement Pakistan, Nazir Javed of PWD, Nazish Zahoor of NSF and Mohammad Ijaz of Pakistan Radio recalled the struggles and sacrifices of workers all over the world, starting from Chicago in 1886. They said the Pakistani labour movement was one of the most united and powerful but since 1980s it had been systematically undermined by a combination of 'pocket' unionists, international financial institutions and pro-capitalist governments. Zahoor Awan, a central leader of PWF, said four different labour laws existed in the country. He added that the four provinces have done legislation for the rights of workers but there is no such law for the workers of federal organisations like PIA, OGDCL, PTCL, railways, post offices etc. "There is no law to protect workers against the dictatorial decisions of employers." He said the National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC) has become non-functional for the workers of federal-level organisations because there is no law through which it can make decisions. Chairman Hydroelectric Labour Union Mian Rehman Ghani said the 18th amendment instead of securing has created confusion about workers' rights. He demanded that the labour laws be restored without any further delay. Other speakers said as one after the other state enterprises were being privatised, "permanent employment is giving way to temporary contractual arrangements". They said the vast majority of workers are unorganised in the so-called informal sector. In Attock the main rally for the Labour Day was taken out from the highway office to Fowara Chowk by the PWD Workers Union. Chanting slogans for their rights, some of the rally's participants had 'chapattis' around their necks as a protest against price hike.