KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly was told on Monday that the provincial government had set the minimum wages for an unskilled worker at Rs17,500 per month, but the decision was not being implemented by many industrial and commercial units.

Furnishing a statement and replies to lawmakers’ queries during the Question Hour in the house, Labour Minister Saeed Ghani said the rate of wage for an unskilled worker during 2018-19 was Rs16,200 which was enhanced in the current financial year on recommendation of the Sindh Minimum Wages Board.

He said the government decision was being implemented through labour inspectors of the directorate of labour, Sindh, conceding that a large number of unskilled workers were underpaid as the provincial labour department did not have resources to keep a check on every industrial and commercial unit due to meagre resources and manpower.

In reply to a written question by Pakistan Peoples Party member Ghazala Siyal, the minister said the labour and human resource department had constituted a ‘Minister’s Task Force’, headed by the labour director and comprising all joint directors and labour leaders, to ensure implementation of the minimum wages required for workers to meet their family expenditure and preserve their health.

Minister says labour department unable to keep a check on every unit for implementation of law

Besides, he said, all the presidents of industrial zones had been advised to implement the minimum wages in all industrial zones. “Also in order to resolve the issues and grievances of employers and employees, tripartite committees in all industrial zones have been constituted and notified,” the minister added.

Answering a verbal question, he said an underpaid unskilled worker could lodge his or her complaint against the employer with the labour department which would pursue the case and get the matter settled between the employee and the employer.

Mr Ghani said the labour department would file a complaint in the labour court if the employer did not settle the matter with the employee.

He said the complainant worker could also move the labour court against the employer for not paying him the notified minimum wages on their own.

Replying to a supplementary question asked by Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Mohammad Hussain, he conceded that the provincial government’s decision of minimum wages was surely not being implemented in several factories.

The minister said that it was not practically possible for the labour department to check the implementation of the minimum wage law in every industrial unit as there were over 10,000 industrial and thousands of other commercial units.

He said that there was no provision of contractual employees in the provincial laws, while the practice was rampant in the industries and other commercial units. “We are trying to end this contract system in employment, but we cannot take harsh steps against this as it would render people jobless,” the minister added.

He also conceded that several unskilled workers of certain provincial departments were also not being paid the notified minimum wages. “The chief minister has asked the ministries concerned to ensure that the minimum wage decision is implemented in letter and spirit in the government departments.”

In reply to a written question, he said that the new building of Madina Dispensary at SITE Circle, Karachi, was established and upgraded at a cost of Rs8.7m by the labour department.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2019