HYDERABAD: Labour unions, trade associations, human rights organisations and civil society groups as well as labour wings of various political and nationalist parties held rallies, seminars and other events in almost all big and small cities and towns of the interior of Sindh on Monday to observe International Labour Day.

Thousands of people from all walks of life participated in the events to support their leaders’ common demands of fixing minimum wage at Rs50,000 a month, increase in workers’ salaries in proportion of the unprecedented inflation in the country, doubling the pension and withdrawal of all recent hikes in the water, electricity and gas tariffs as well as petroleum products.

The leaders said that the situation caused by dwindling economy of the country had put the very survival of the salaries class and low- and middle income groups.

In Hyderabad, a big rally was taken out by Wapda Hydero Electric Workers Union (CBA) from Labour Hall. The participants marched up to the local press club where CBA leader Abdul Latif Nizamani spoke to them. He vowed to resist privatisation of national enterprises. He regretted that as many as 78,000 posts were lying vacant in Wapda but were not being filled although the institution faced an acute shortage of workers. He said Wapda was facing destruction due to political interference.

Thousands attend rallies, demos and seminars in almost all cities and towns of Sindh

He deplored that the minimum wage of Rs25,000 per month was not being paid to workers while contract system had deprived workers of their rights. He said that the state and capitalists were not ready to give rights to workers. Others who also spoke at the rally included Iqbal Ahmed Khan, Mehboob Qureshi and Malik Sultan. A joint rally was taken out under the aegis of the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign, All Pakistan Clerks Association, All Pakistan OGDC Mazdoor Ittehad, Nadra Bahali Tehreek, Treet Corporation Employees Union and PTCL Retired Employees Union. It started form SU’s old campus and ended at the local press club. Asadullah Durrani, Raza Khan Swati, Hassan Bux Khoso, Faheem Abbasi and others, speaking to the participants, said that he country was faced with the worst-ever economic crisis. They said oil and gas tariffs had been increased exceptionally and prices of general commodities had gone beyond the reach of common man. Workers were facing a multifaceted crisis as wages were not increased. Muttahida Labour Federation organised a rally which was led by its provincial president Mohammad Asif Khattak and senior vice president Amjad Ali Khan.

They said PPP founder chairman Z.A. Bhutto had given the country a consensus Constitution in 1973 which guaranteed workers’ rights but today his party’s government was usurping these rights.

All Sindh Lady Health Workers and Employees Union held a rally in collaboration with the Public Service International (PSI) and Workers Education and Research Organisation (WERO). It was followed by a ‘public assembly’ at Sindhi Language Authority. Speakers including the union’s president Ms Haleema Leghari, HRCP vice chairman Qazi Khizar, Pushpa Kumari, Shama Gullani and Mir Zulfiqar.

They said that considering lady health workers’ great contributions towards public health, they were poorly compensated. They demanded restoration of health

risk allowance for all health workers and announcement of service structure along with service rules. They opposed privatisation and outsourcing of healthcare and utility services.

Jamaat-i-Islami, along with the National Labour Federation, organised a seminar to seek release of Hadayatur Rehman of the ‘Haq Do Tehreek’ of Gwadar. It was attended by NLF Sindh president Shakeel Ahmed Shaikh and leaders of the Sindh Abadgar Sugar

Mills Workers Union, Baldia Aala Staff Union and other labour bodies. They said minimum wages should be fixed at Rs50,000 and pension should be raised by 100pc.

They said that recent 20pc raise in medicines’ prices should be withdrawn. Home-Based Women Workers Federation and Home-Based Women Bangles Workers Union took out a rally which was led by Jamila Abdul Latif. It was attended by Shahid Khalid, Najma Rasheed, Shazia Rasheed and a large number of working women. Peoples Labour Bureau Hyderabad chapter’s Lal Bux Kalhoro led a workers’ rally.

PML-N’s labour wing held a gathering to pay homage to Chicago workers. It was attended by the party’s provincial senior vice president Hanif Siddiqui, Mushtaq Ahmed Sangi and party activists.

In Dadu, Wapda CBA and various other labour unions took out separate rallies to mark the day.

Led by All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Union’s local leader Mohammad Waril Mirani along with Hameed Jamali, Aftab Pahor, Altaf Pulh and Imamuddin Mallah, the participants marched from Wapda office and held a gathering outside the local press club.

Speaking to them, the leaders deplored the federal government’s ‘anti-labour’ policies.

They said inflation was challenging survival of workers while unemployment had reached its peak.

They said ILO conventions were not being implemented and workers were being forced to do their work for 12 to 14 hours a day.

Labour Day rallies also were taken out by various trade organisations in Mehar, K.N. Shah, Sehwan, Kotri and other towns.

In Mirpurkhas, labour and civil society oranisations including Wapda CBA took out rallies in different towns of the district. A big rally was taken out from Station Chowk to the local press club.

Separate rallies were organised by Sindh Mazdoor Ittehad, Peoples Labor Bureau, Sindh Taraqqi-pasand Party, National Trade Union Defence Campaign and other labour bodies.

The Peoples Labor Bureau, Mirpurkhas division, held a seminar on labor laws and their implementation. Its general secretary Syed Fayyaz Ali Shah, Syed Zahir Hussain Shah Khurasani and other leaders called for giving due rights to workers, withdrawing hikes in the prices of fuel and food items and taking measures to control inflation.

They also demanded increase in salaries and pension.

In Badin, Wapda CBA, STP and Awami Tehreek held rallies and demonstrations in different towns of the district.

Participants of the Wapda CBA rally led by Allah Bux Katiar, Ghaus Pathan and others marched from their office to Allahwala Chowk and raised slogans for proper wages and all due facilities for workers. The leaders observed that abject poverty caused by inflation and unemployment was forcing people to commit suicide.

STP activists and supporters led by Shahnawaz Siyal held demonstration a demonstration in front of the local press club to observed the day. They raised their voice against excesses on workers by their employers.

They demanded a reasonable increase in wages and said free education and healthcare facilities should be extended to all workers of public and private organisations.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2023