WITHOUT doubt, it is the hard labour of millions of men and women that drives our economy forward.

However, as a society we have failed to improve the working and living conditions of the masses. While unions are hardly as powerful as they once were, it is also true that the state has ignored workplace safety regulations, with the result that many working men and women have lost their lives in horrific industrial accidents that could have been avoided had safety measures been in place.

The Baldia Town tragedy of 2012 (in which it is suspected criminal elements were involved in deliberate arson) and the fire at the Gadani ship-breaking yard in 2016 instantly come to mind.

These are just some of the major examples; workers across this land have to operate in hazardous workspaces on a daily basis.

The fact is that people are desperate for work and unscrupulous employers exploit this need by making labourers work in unsafe conditions.

As activists have pointed out, governments — federal and provincial — must make occupational safety and health a priority and ensure that working conditions within their jurisdictions are safe.

This means, of course, ratifying the requisite ILO conventions and legislating where necessary. But beyond the paperwork, enforcement is needed to ensure that workers are operating in spaces that meet legal health and safety standards.

What is more, labour courts need to be made more active so that they can adjudicate on cases speedily.

While the system indeed favours big business and only pays lip service to the working classes, it is time those political parties that swear by progressive and egalitarian ideals put their money where their mouth is: it is election year and parties in their manifestos must clearly enunciate what they intend to do to improve the lot of workers.

Working people are not asking for much; all they want is dignity and respect, safe workplaces and a better future for their children. Surely these are demands the state can meet.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2018