KARACHI, May 1: The May Day was observed in the city by various trade union organisations and political parties.

They expressed concern over the rapidly deteriorating socio-economic condition of the working class and curbs on trade union activities.

They deplored retrenchments and other measures by the government, saying that due to these policies a large number of people had been made jobless and many of them were forced to commit suicide.

The National Trade Union Federation organised a meeting in Nazimabad in which industrial workers carrying red flags participated.

They demanded restoration of true democracy, end to victimisation and retrenchments, supply of adequate water and electricity, and an end to price spiral. They also chanted slogans against the World Bank and the IMF.

Participants also termed the referendum as a joke with the people of Pakistan which, they said, would damage not only Gen Pervez Musharraf but also the country.

The meeting also called for working out a strategy for dealing with the negative impact of the WTO on the industry by evolving mechanism for upgradation of machinery and providing credits to the industrialists on low markup and providing better facilities to the workers and their children.

The meeting also deplored Israel’s continuing genocidal attacks on the Palestinians and accused the USA and the West of shamelessly following double standards.

The National Workers Party, in its meeting at PMA House, while praying tributes to Chicago workers for their vanguard role, resolved to emancipate the people of Pakistan from the feudal system and the IMF and the World Bank dictations.

Expressing concern over the deteriorating socio-economic condition of the people at large, particularly of the working class, owing to government policies, it deplored the ban on trade union activities, expansion of contract system and denying people of the means of livelihood through downsizing and restructuring and withdrawal of existing facilities.

The party’s central leader, Yusuf Masti Khan, demanded that ILO rules should be applied in Pakistan, retrenchments should be stopped forthwith and the ban on trade union activities be lifted.

It was recognised that one of the causes of the problems being faced by workers were their internal differences and emphasis was made on ironing them out to put up a joint struggle.

The Pakistan Trade Union Federation in its meeting addressed by Kaneez Fatima and others rejected downsizing and privatisation, price hike and lawlessness.

It demanded restoration of the employees who were retrenched by the management of the Liaquat National Hospital, acceptance of the demands of Port Qasim workers and payment of salaries to the employees of the city government on time.

The Habib Bank Workers Front organised a seminar on the impact of downsizing on the economy. Addressing the seminar Habibuddin Junedi accused the government of making about half a million people jobless during the past four years. He also deplored the closure of industries and diminishing investment.

He said capitalists were striving hard to maintain their supremacy in the world economy and were united. He stressed need for joint struggle which, he said , was only way to counter the anti-labourer policies.

The Pakistan Workers Confederation (PWC), the Movement for Labour Rights (MLR), the Action Committee for Civic Problems, the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) also organized meetings and gatherings.