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July 25, 2008	Friday	Rajab 21, 1429

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ISLAMABAD, July 24: PTCL’s United Workers Alliance threatened on Thursday to jam the company’s network after Friday prayers if their demands were not met by then.

The United Workers’ Alliance represents several unions representing PTCL employees from around the country.

As their strike entered its ninth day on Thursday, hundreds of PTCL employees forced their way into the company’s premises. They spread out in front lawns while numerous groups of workers stood around, blocking driveways. Police and anti-terror personnel as well as Rangers kept a close watch on the protesters.

Various union representatives criticised the PTCL management for harassing employees and rejected reports about negotiations between the PTCL employees and the management.

“We are not negotiating with PTCL management. Our demands are simple. We demand that employees on New Compensation Pay Grade (NCPG) be regularised on basic pay scale as announced by the prime minister,” said NCPG Association representative Malik Habib.

He termed the Unified Pay Scale discriminatory and confusing, and said that all PTCL workers had rejected the UPS.

“If our demands are not met by Friday afternoon, we will completely jam the PTCL network,” Malik Habib threatened amid a loud roar of approval from the employees surrounding him.

PTCL employees’ representatives criticised the government for not supporting the labourer cause.

Meanwhile, a ministerial committee constituted to review demands of PTCL workers, has formed a sub-committee for detailed consultation.

According to a statement issued here on Thursday, the sub-committee would submit its report to the ministerial committee on Friday.

Members of the sub-committee are labour secretary Mohammad Asif and secretary information technology Hafizur Rehman.

During the meeting, Minister for Labour and Manpower Syed Kurshid Ahmad Shah said that the country had labour laws and no worker could be removed from job without any reason.