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| May 2, 2006 | Tuesday | Rabi-us-Sani 3, 1427 |
80pc workers deprived of security cover
GUJRANWALA, May 1: Although May Day is a regular annual feature in this part of the world as well, some 80 per cent of industrial workers and labourers of other organisations are still deprived of the social security cover.
According to a survey conducted by Dawn, as many as 4,500 industrial units were registered with the social security. However, the Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce and Industry claimed that at least 7,000 small and medium industrial units were functioning in the district.
The report gave out that the number of factory workers registered under the social security were 33,425 while hardly five workers of an industrial unit were getting social security benefits instead of at least 10 or above workers.
While most of workers had been deprived of facilities by industrialists in connivance with labour leaders and officials of government departments.
The report further revealed that factory owners sacked their workers after every three months and re-employed them after a few days so that labour laws could not apply on them.
It was learnt that majority of industrialists were defaulters of social security the amount of which had exceeded to Rs50 million.
Meanwhile, labourers demanded that their social security rights should be safeguarded in accordance with labour laws.X
Meanwhile, the May Day was observed by industrial workers and labourers of various government and semi-government departments here on Monday.
A big rally was organised by labour organisations to express solidarity with workers throughout the world.
Led by labour leaders Sardar M Adib, Mian Ataur Rehman, Sardar Naeem, Mustey Khan and Begum Bilqees Khan, the rally started from Sheranwala Bagh and terminated at Gondlanwala Chowk after passing through the GT Road.
Carrying banners and placards, participants chanted slogans in favour of their demands.
The All Pakistan PWD Workers Union and other labour organisations also took out a rally from their offices on Sheikhupura Road which later merged with the main procession outside Sheranwala Bagh.
Speakers criticised the government for not controlling the price hike and instead enhancing prices of petroleum products regularly.
They demanded that salaries of industrial workers and other labourers should be fixed in proportion with the hike in prices of kitchen and other daily use items.
They also called upon the government to stop forthwith the privatisation of national institutions for the larger national interests.
TOBA TEK SINGH: May day was observed here and elsewhere in the district by progressive political parties and trade union organisations.
The National Workers Party, the Awami Jamhoori Tehrik, the Pakistan Kissan Committee and the Bhatta Mazdoor Union took out a joint rally from Shorkot Road railway level crossing. It concluded at the press club on Jhang Road after marching through the city roads.
The speakers, including Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad and former MPA Mian Rafiq, condemned the government for not protecting the rights of the working class.
They criticised the government’s wheat procurement policy and demanded that the food department should directly purchase wheat from the growers instead of through commission agents.
A resolution adopted by the rally participants demanded suspension of Chuttiana police SHO for his alleged corruption.
Another rally was brought out by the District Child Rights Committee which started from district press club and concluded at Saddar Bazaar.
Committee coordinator Advocate Mehr Rab Nawaz demanded that the government should ensure rights of the kiln workers and take strong steps to stop child labour.
Anjuman Rehri Chabri Faroshan also took out a rally from Kamal Chowk which ended at the Saddar Bazaar Chowk. It was addressed by leaders of various political parties.
The Irrigation Employees Union held a meeting at Gojra which was addressed by union leader Allah Bakhsh Sial who demanded raise in the salaries.
BAHAWALPUR: The government policies towards working classes came under heavy fire at various meetings, seminars and rallies organized here by workers’ bodies and opposition parties.
A number of speakers at a workers’ meeting held by the Bahawalpur Federation of Trade Unions targeted government policies and said the workers, particularly of the PTCL and other institutions, were being exploited in the name of privatization and down-sizing.
Founder president Nazir Ahmed Siddiqui condemned the government for anti-labour practices and formulating anti-labour laws. The meeting passed a number of resolutions, which rejected the new labour policy announced by the government. It demanded that workers’ right to form unions should be recognised and the privatisation of PTCL and downsizing in other profit-earning government institutions should be immediately stopped.
Another resolution condemned increase in the weekly working hours for labourers from 48 to 60 hours under the new labour policy and demanded its revision.
The meeting also demanded end to what it called victimisation of workers by the state-owned institutions, and demanded representation of CBA office-bearers in TMAs and other bodies constituted under the devolution programme.
Meanwhile, the PPP organised a camp at Fowara Chowk to protest against the rising prices and poor law and order in the country.
The participants, including local party leaders Tathirul Hassan, Gulshan Durrani, khan Muhammed Hussain Azad and others condemned the government for victimisation of workers and increasing prices of essential commodities. They demanded the workers’ right to forming unions in industrial units be restored. The party also organised a rally to mark the May Day.
The Pakistan Seraiki Party leader Allama Iqbal Waseem and Asad Langah also led May Day rallies from Bahawalpur Stadium to Farid Gate.
SAHIWAL: Hundreds of workers of local industrial and commercial units, besides kiln labourers, took out a procession to mark the May Day.
The processionists, who were also joined by kiln workers from Arifwala, marched through Railway Road, Jahaz Chowk and Jinah Street.
Speaking on the occasion, labour leaders Anjum Raza, Saleem Bhindar and Manzoor Ahmed Manzoor paid tributes to the labourers of Chicago for their sacrifice for workers rights.
They announced that kiln labourers would stage a protest demonstration and a hunger strike camp on May 8 to press for implementation of a labour court verdict regarding a raise in their wages.
They said fake cases against labour leaders could not affect their struggle for rights.
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