KARACHI, Aug 5: The Union of Civil Aviation Employees won the referendum, held on Tuesday after a decade’s gap, by securing 40 per cent more votes than its close rival in the Civil Aviation Authority, unofficial reports said.

According to the reports obtained from Islamabad-based National Industrial Relations Commission sources, the Union of Civil Aviation Employees had won the last referendum, too.

The sources said that three unions were in the field. According to the unofficial results, the UCAE, which claims to be an independent workers’ union, secured 2,230 votes while the Liberal Employees Union received 1,597 votes. The Aviation League got 537 votes.

Both the losing unions are supported by the two leading political parties of the country. The winning union has got more votes than the combined votes of both the losing unions.

Out of over 5,300 registered votes about 4,396 were polled. Twenty nine votes were lost or cancelled while three were missing.

There were 27 polling booths set up at the 24 polling stations across the country. The CAA has 44 airports and workers at many places cast their votes through postal ballots.

The CAA premises wore a festive look as activists of the contesting unions were seen trying to convince the voters till the last moment. The unions had also set up their camps at some distance from the polling booths to assist the voters during the polls.