LAHORE: Speakers at a conference on Wednesday were unanimous that the government should immediately devise a labour policy to cope with the challenge of increasing unemployment besides ensuring decent work and provision of social protection and minimum wage.

They were also of the view that the government must respect fundamental rights of workers, freedom of association, right to collective bargaining, elimination of child abuse, bonded labour and discrimination against women.

“The government must hold a tripartite Labour Conference in accordance with the ILO Convention 144 in order to give voice to the workers in policy-making institutions,” said rights activist IA Rehman while speaking on the occasion to commemorate the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) centenary celebrations.

The speakers reminded the government that the prime minister had pledged in its first address to the nation to introduce reforms for the working class in conformity with ILO conventions. The government should fulfil that commitment and regularise services of workers.

“We want a society based on equality, social justice, dignity of work and free of exploitation. We also want the government to immediately check price hike of essential items,” said Khurshid Ahmad, the All Pakistan Workers Confederation general secretary.

He called upon the government to amend laws to allow freedom of association to agriculture, banks, open line railway, Nadra and civil aviation in accordance with ILO conventions ratified by Pakistan.

A special message by ILO Country Director Ingrid Christensen was played at the conference wherein she commended the struggle of the working class for defending and promoting fundamental rights and establishing a society based on social justice and dignity of work.

Provincial Minister for Labour and Human Resource Development Anser Majid Niazi commended the contribution of ILO in promoting and defending the workers’ fundamental rights. “In accordance with the ILO conventions, we have introduced labour laws. We have also introduced a law in the provincial assembly to protect domestic workers as well as provide free medical facilities to workers after their retirement under the Social Security Employees Ordinance 1965. We are also taking measures to raise old age pension as well as develop residential facilities and ensure free standard education to each child of workers,” he added.

He assured the confederation that the government would accord priority to resolve their demands and settle grievances.

Dr Rashid Ahmed, Shamsher Khan, Mujtaba Haider, Rubina Jamil, Abdul Latif Nizamani, Haji Ramzan Achakzai, Akbar Ali Khan and others also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2019