LAHORE: The city witnessed on Friday a considerable number of rallies, meetings and processions taken out by labour and civil society organisations and trade unions to mark the International Workers Day (May Day).

BLLF: Over 500 workers, most of them brick kilns and domestic workers, held a procession from the Lytton Road to the Charing Cross.

It was taken out after a discussion on the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) Plus status to Pakistan by the European Union and its effects on the workers. The discussion was organised by the Bonded Labour Liberation Front (BLLF).

One of the participants, Musaddiq, an old brick kiln worker from Manga Mandi, complained that he was paid only about Rs400 for every 1,000 bricks although the ministry of labour itself had fixed the minimum wage at Rs880 per 1,000 bricks.

“My whole body has been consumed,” said the old man holding up his wrists to show his weakness and added, “My blood has dried up but I have not gained anything from a lifetime of work”.

Ghulam Fatima of the BLLF said the labour inspectors did not have enough authority to step inside a factory to monitor the working conditions and same was the case with brick kilns. She demanded an increase in the minimum wage, especially those of brick kiln workers, suggesting it should be at least Rs1,500 per 1,000 bricks.

“We appreciate the initiative the Punjab government has recently taken to eliminate bonded labour but a similar project was started in the past in Lahore and Kasur which collapsed with the Shama and Sajjad case in Kot Radha Kishan,” she said, asking whether more such incidents would happen if other brick kiln workers started asking for their rights.

Ms Fatima said GSP Plus status could serve as a means for implementing important laws in the country.

Shagufta. a domestic worker from Green Town, said she and her young daughter used to be physically abused by her former employers. She said condition of most of domestic workers was similar to the bonder labour.

APTUF: The All Pakistan Trade Union Federation (APTUF) held a procession from the Hamdard Hall to Charing Cross.

It was led by APTUF Secretary General Aima Mahmood, Sultan Khan, and Fazal Wahid. The participants paid tribute to the Chicago workers who laid down their lives for the protection of workers’ rights and vowed to follow their footprints. They demanded the federal and provincial governments accept their demands.

Aima Mahmood said over 70pc labour force in informal sector had been deprived of its basic rights which had exposed the negligence of the state. Only five percent workers were organised under the trade unions in the country and the women were only one percent of them, she said, questioning how the society could progress where women faced social and economic injustice.

The APTUF demanded Rs25,000 minimum salary for workers and protection of their rights.

Hasil Bizenjo, who was also present in the protest, spoke to Dawn about the workers’ unity.

“Until the political parties strengthen their own workers and give them protection, there is barely any point of a workers’ movement,” he said.

“This has been the situation since the 1980s. There is unity among workers world over and that is how any change can be brought,” he said.

FEDERATIONS: The Labour Welfare Federation of Pakistan, Pakistan National Trade Unions Federation and Pakistan Kisan Ittehad organised street processions to pay tribute to the martyrs of Chicago and to express solidarity with workers around the country.

Union leaders delivered speeches, emphasising the history of the May Day and its importance. The unionists and workers gathered on The Mall after marching on various city roads. They criticised the lawmakers for being completely disconnected from the labour class.

“We are living hand to mouth because of the low wages and we demand the government increase our wages or to control inflation,” a participant said.

A charter of demands was also presented in the processions which included local body elections, decrease in the prices of commodities, a uniform labour policy for workers, implementation of labour laws in accordance with the International Labour Organisation conventions and representation of workers in provincials and national assemblies.

PHA: The Parks and Horticulture Authority’s gardeners and low-grade officials held a demonstration from Racecourse Park to Charing Cross.

Led by PHA Employees Union chief Haji Muhammad Yaqoob, the participants chanted slogans against the government for ignoring the unprivileged. They demanded the government regularise all the gardeners working in the PHA on daily wages or contract since long.

JI: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq reached the Lahore railway station and met the porters. He also took meal with them to express solidarity with them.

Speaking on the occasion, he said the workers should be on top priority of the government.

PPP: The PPP took out a procession from the railway station to the press club to mark the International Workers’ Day.

It was led by Manzoor Wattoo, Tanvir Ashraf Kaira, Jehangir Badr and Samina Khalid Gurkhi.

Representatives of workers’ unions, including the employees of Evacuee Trust Property Board and All Pakistan Clerks Association, were among the participants.

Addressing the procession, Wattoo said Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had given a labour policy for the first time in 1972 and declared the May Day a public holiday to pay tribute to the martyrs of Chicago.

Referring to the privatisation campaign of the incumbent government, he said the PPP would not allow the policy at the cost of the jobs of the workers.

PTI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Lahore president Aleem Khan says no government has taken concrete steps for the welfare of labourers and only paper work has been done to pay lip service to their cause.

Holding a meeting with PTI Labour Wing at his office, he said that during the last two years, not even a single megawatt electricity had been added to national grid and the power shortage was directly damaging the workers’ community. Similarly, he said, one-sided proceedings of privatisation had also hurt the workers who had been rendered unemployed at large scale.

Mr Khan claimed the PTI had given practicable solutions to the problems of the labourers and after coming into power PTI chief Imran Khan would solve all the national issues which would provide relief to the working class, as well. He criticised the present government for working on the agenda of World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) and added that such policies could never be useful for the labour community.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2015

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