KARACHI: A joint platform at national level is necessary to safeguard workers’ rights and labour movement.

The health and safety conditions in factories are still worst despite Ali Enterprises [Baldia] factory tragedy and there is no significant role by the government to implement labour laws and still factories in the country are facing health and safety hazards.

This was stated by leaders of trade unions in a meeting titled ‘Recalling Baldia factory fire: exploring opportunities for safe workplaces in Pakistan’ held on Friday at Piler Centre in Karachi.

They also said Ali Enterprises factory-like conditions could also be seen across the country in factories where no emergency alarm was raised about any incident and workers did not know how to use fire extinguishers and no emergency exit doors existed.

Experts from different trade unions and members of civil society also shared their views.

Karamat Ali, the chief of Piler, said that workers were exploited and labour laws were weak while the trade unions’ movement had systematically been reduced from time to time and now only one per cent workers were unionised.

He said the Baldia factory fire incident had got workers united at global platform and the victims’ heirs received compensation.

“So, we need similar united platforms at regional and national levels to strengthen workers’ movement and improve workers’ health and safety conditions at workplace.”

Nasir Mansoor from National Trade Union Federation said that the recent factory fire at Mehran Town recalled the similar incident of Ali Enterprises where fire brigade could not enter the factory and space was so small that workers could not escape from the unit.

He said: “No health and safety inspection take place at factories. The European Commission of Human Rights and Clean Clothes Campaign guided us and supported us internationally and because of their efforts, European brands came under law for workers’ compensation specially Ali Enterprise Factory, German brand, KiK Textilien.”

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2021