KARACHI, March 18: Protesters at a rally, on Thursday, demanded that all the sacked leaders and workers belonging to the CBA Union of Karachi Shipyard be reinstated immediately.

The rally, organized by the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF), started from Regal Chowk and after passing through various roads terminated at Karachi Press Club. The rally, led by NTUF chief Saleem Raza, was a part of the countrywide protest day observed by the NTUF against the victimization of shipyard workers.

Addressing the rally, the speakers demanded that all the benefits which were earlier being given to the workers of Karachi Shipyard be immediately restored. The benefits being given to the workers were withdrawn by the management of Karachi Shipyard.

The protesters demanded that the arrears should be paid to the workers and negotiations with union on the fresh charter of demands be started. Keeping in view the growing prices of essential items of daily use as well as the inflation rate, the participants of the rally demanded that the minimum wages for the workers should be fixed at Rs7,000 per month.

They condemned the mass level sacking of workers in various departments under the garb of downsizing, right sizing and golden handshake.

The speakers demanded that the industries which had been closed down be made operational so that new employment opportunities could be made available. Mohammad Rafiq, Qasim Noor, Ghani Zaman, Shafiq Ghauri, Dildar Ahmad, Sattar Niazi, Rafiq Baloch, Rahim Awan, Nasir Mansoor and others addressed the rally.