April 16, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 9, 1429

KARACHI, April 15: The All Pakistan Trade Unions Organisation (APTUO) on Tuesday criticised the privatisation policy pursued by the previous government and urged the new government to do away with it.

The organisation’s governing body met here to take stock of the situation following the government’s announcement about the restoration of trade union activities in the country. APTUO president Maula Bukhsh Khaskheli presided over the meeting. It adopted a resolution urging the government to review the process of the privatisation through which the state-owned institutions were handed over to the private sector. It also called for necessary legislation providing for direct representation of the trade unions in the senate and the national and provincial assemblies.

Mr Khaskheli welcomed the new government’s decision to suspend the controversial Industrial Relations Ordinance-2002 and the lifting of the ban on the trade unions and student unions. It also commended the move to raise workers’ minimum wages.

He called on the government to take necessary steps and enact laws for the abolition of the contract system, which deprived workers of their rights.

Municipal workers

The Municipal Workers Trade Unions Alliance (MWTUA) has announced launching of a protest movement against the privatisation of the solid-waste management, PPI adds.

Leaders of the alliance Syed Zulfikar Shah and Farid Awan said that the first rally would be taken out by the municipal employees from the KMC Workshop up to the Karachi Press Club on Wednesday.