08 October 2004	Friday	22 Shaban 1425

KARACHI, Oct 7: An all-Pakistan labour convention on Thursday decided to observe Oct 26 as a "black day". Various programmes will be organized on the day to protest against the anti-worker Industrial Relations Ordinance-2002 promulgated by the regime.

A decision to this effect was taken at the convention, organized by the Trade Unions Action Committee, which comprises 15 workers organizations from all over the country, on Thursday. The protest has been decided on Oct 26 to mark the promulgation of the IRO-2002 on Oct 26, 2002.

The speakers on the occasion called for repeal of the IRO-2002, and urged parliamentarians to join hands with the workers on the issue and boycott the proceedings of the parliament on Oct 26 so that the issue could be highlighted.

Pointing out that at least two leading political parties - PPP and MMA - had already submitted amendments to the IRO-2002 in the parliament, they urged other political parties to extend support to them so that workers' rights could be safeguarded.

Calling for immediate repeal of the law, they said that the IRO-2002 was not in conformity with various provisions of the constitution, but it was also in contradiction with numerous ILO conventions that had been signed by the government and it was bound to make its local laws in conformity with its international commitments.

They feared that if the IRO 2002, which was also not in conformity with various human rights conventions, was not repealed, it could also be used as a weapon by importers owing to which the country's foreign exchange earnings could suffer.

They demanded that various anti-worker laws, like Section 2 B of Companies Ordinance; 17 A of WAPDA Act; Section 2 A of Civil Services Tribunal Act; Ordinance of 2000 which gives powers to management to sack anybody, be abolished.

Criticizing the ban on trade union activities in numerous organizations, they demanded that ban be lifted and workers' rights restored so that they could safeguard their rights.

They demanded that the contract system be abolished and the workers under contract system and on work-charge basis be regularized and that provision of appointment letters to employees be made mandatory so that workers' rights could be safeguarded. The demanded that workers be provided with the benefits of SESSI, EOBI, pension, gratuity, and other social welfare schemes.

Pointing towards the worst working conditions - low wages, long working hours, etc - in the Export Processing Zone industries, they demanded that the EPZ industries be brought under the local laws and labour laws be implemented there also so that victimization of workers could be checked.

They suggested that taxation on manufacturing be rationalized so that local industries could compete with the imported products. They said if that was not done, more industries would face closure.

They said that owing to downsizing, rightsizing, privatization, etc., over 400,000 workers have lost their jobs in the past four years and if cottage industries in rural areas were not encouraged, there would be worst economic conditions in the country.

The also demanded that privatization of profit-making and sensitive organizations be stopped. Referring to victimization of child labour, they said that primary education be made free, employment be provided to parents, and widowed mothers be provided subsistence allowance, training institutes be established and child labour be banned and violators be punished.

Their other demands included repeal of Hudood Ordinance; establishment of friendly relations and better economic relations with neighbouring countries; decrease in non-productive expenditure etc.

S P Lodhi, Raza Rabbani, Mohammad Hussain Mehnati, Saleem Raza, Prof Shafi Malik, Shaukat Ali, Manzoor Razi, Ghafoor Baloch, Malik Rafiq, Shaikh Majeed, Kamran Chaudhry, Nisar Shah, and others also spoke.

The organizations, which organized the convention are All Pakistan Trade Union Organizations; National Trade Union Federation; National Labour Federation Pakistan; Pakistan National Federation of Trade Unions; Peoples Labour Bureau Pakistan; Personnel Foundation; All Pakistan Trade Unions Congress; All Pakistan Federation of Labour (Durrani group); The Banks Trade Union Alliance; Pakistan Trade Union Federation (Kalhoro group); Railway Workers Federation; Mehran Labour Federation; Communications Employees Federation; Joint Coordination Alliance of Trade Unions; and Pakistan Mazdoor Ittehad Trade Union Federation.