LAHORE, Oct 25: Muttahida Labour Federation chairman Muhammad Yaqub says there is a marked increase in unfair labour practices against women workers due to suspension of labour inspections.

Speaking at a training workshop for informal sector women and trade union workers at Kot Lakhpat here, he said a number of medicine companies, garments and confectionary units had started employing home-based women workers to multiply their profits. Such women were being paid nominal wages and denied all the benefits available under labour laws.

Federation secretary-general Muhammad Hanif Ramay said hundreds of thousands of workers in formal and informal sectors were being denied minimum wages and made to work for up to 12 hours a day in violation of the ILO conventions due to relaxation in working hours allowed during the tenure of Pervez Musharraf. A majority of female workers in formal sector had not been issued appointment letters and were denied social security and old-age benefits. The violations of law could not be checked owing to suspension of labour inspections.