LAHORE, Feb 9: Trade union representatives belonging to Lahore and Sheikhupura on Saturday assembled here and discussed the problems faced by the working class and decided to launch a week-long campaign from March 5 for the redressal of their grievances.

The meeting which was convened by the All-Pakistan Trade Unions Federation and presided over by its central general secretary Gulzar Chaudhry expressed concern over what it called a calculated move by vested interest to undermine the importance of trade unionism.

The campaign would provide an opportunity to workers to voice their demands through ‘gate-meetings’ to be held outside their units and addressed by their leaders, it added.

The meetings would seek amendments to labour laws and their strict enforcement, provision of medicines in hospitals and dispensaries for the benefit of workers’ and their families, withdrawal of restrictions imposed on trade union activities and doing away with the policy of retrenchments of workers in the name of rightsizing or downsizing.

The participants decided to observe world women’s day on March 8. A meeting would be organized by the APTUF on the occasion at the Hamdard Centre.