KARACHI: National Trade Union Federation Pakistan (NTUF) General Secretary Nasir Mansoor has said that violations related to labour rights have reached alarming levels in textile and garment factories.

He was speaking at a gathering of labour representatives from the textile and garments sector, held at the central office of the NTUF to discuss the deteriorating conditions of workers and formulate a plan for their welfare.

More than 50 labour representatives from Karachi’s leading export-oriented textile and garment factories — many of which are part of global framework agreements like the Pakistan Accord— pledged to organise workers against oppressive working conditions.

They resolved to dismantle employer-backed unions, expose anti-worker elements, counter conspiracies against independent labour organisations, and ensure compliance with international standards such as those outlined by OECD guidelines and due diligence.

It was also decided that a nationwide textile & garments workers’ convention would be held in Karachi in the mid of April.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Mansoor said factories producing textiles and garments for local markets and international brands operate like labour camps. Violations related to wages, working hours, social security, unionisation rights, gender justice, and workplace safety had reached alarming levels, he added.

Mr Mansoor said the textile and garments sector was the backbone of the country’s economy, employing millions directly and indirectly. Despite being the highest foreign exchange-earning sector, workers faced severe exploitation due to the dominance of local and international corporate groups over production processes, he observed.

The meeting addressed obstacles to unionisation, the significance of international agreements, and the importance of adhering to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines, global framework agreements, and due diligence requirements.

Zehra Khan, co-chairperson of IndustriALL Global Union Textile & Garments Sector, presided over the meeting. The joint director of the Sindh government’s labor department, District East, Athar Ali Shah, also attended and assured participants of the department’s support in the unionisation process.

She accused international brands and their local suppliers of deliberately ignoring their commitments and reinforcing the exploitative relationship between global and local capital. She stressed the urgent need for a concrete action plan to counter that alliance and ensure that workers, who contributed significantly to the textile supply chain, were recognised and afforded legal rights, access to minimum wages, and social security.

She stated that the distinction between the formal and informal sectors had vanished, with the textile and garments industry becoming entirely unregulated. Despite the increasing number of factories and the wealth generated by the labour of over 15 million workers, working conditions and wages continued to deteriorate, with over 90pc of workers in the sector living below the poverty line.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2025