LAHORE, Nov 29: International Labour Organization Policy Integration director Mrs Azita Brar Awad has said fair wages, safe working conditions and cordial industrial relations were necessary for raising productivity.

She was speaking at a seminar on ‘Poverty alleviation through decent work and social dialogue’ organized by the Pakistan Workers Confederation at the Bakhtiar Labour Hall here on Tuesday with Chaudhry Talib Nawaz in chair.

Mrs Awad said respect for the right of freedom of association of workers was a prerequisite for cordial industrial relations. The nations that had created decent working conditions for the workers and respected their rights had made remarkable progress.

She said the ILO had launched the ‘Decent Work Programme’ in Pakistan in consultation with the government and social partners for poverty alleviation and increasing employment opportunities. The programme would help improve industrial management standards and professional competence of the workers.

ILO country director Donglin Li said the organization had offered assistance to Pakistan government for bringing its labour laws in conformity with the ILO conventions. It was also working on a project for the elimination of child labour in Pakistan. A programme was also being started for the rehabilitation of the children orphaned as a result of the quake.

Labour joint secretary Malik Ahsan Akhtar said amendments would soon be made to Industrial Relations Ordinance and other laws for bringing them in conformity with the ILO conventions. Minimum wages of skilled and semi-skilled workers and supervisory staff would also be revised shortly. These wages had not been revised for the past three years.

Employers Federation of Pakistan secretary general Iftikhar Randhawa stressed the need for forming a strategy for meeting the challenge of globalization through a tripartite dialogue between the representatives of workers, employers and the government.

Pakistan Workers Confederation secretary general Khurshid Ahmad said social unrest was on the increase in the country on account of unequal distribution of wealth resulting in making the rich richer and poor poorer. Social injustice was rampant because the government had become a party with the employers instead of acting as a referee.