LAHORE, Feb 19: Hundreds of delegates, who are attending the All-Pakistan Federation of Trade Unions' National Labour Conference, took out a procession here on Thursday to express resentment against growing unemployment and inflation.

They also protested promulgation of 'draconian' labour laws by the government. The procession was taken out from the Bakhtiar Labour Hall on the Nisbet Road before the commencement of the conference and the delegates marched to the Lakshmi Chowk, raising slogans against high cost of living, black labour laws, profiteering, feudalism and unemployment.

Speaking at the conference later, trade unions' president Haji Muhammad Amin Rathore claimed that the country was moving towards economic crunch due to growing unemployment and unchecked inflation. The rulers, he said, were spreading unrest among the workers by depriving them of their fundamental rights.

Federation secretary-general Khurshid Ahmad said the workers had been placed at the mercy of the employers by depriving them of their fundamental trade union right of collective bargaining. The government had also deprived them of the benefits like selection grades and move-overs.

He said the proposed privatization of Wapda power distribution companies would further increase electricity rates. Pakistan Wapda Hydro-Electric Central Labour Union President Abdul Latif Nizamani said the industry would not be able to produce quality goods at competitive prices to face the challenge of globalization with cheap contract labour.

Haji Abdul Latif said the provincial governments in the Punjab and Sindh had given a free hand to employers to flout the labour laws by imposing a ban on inspection of factories for ensuring the implementation of labour laws.

Qasim Baloch demanded review of the decision to privatize the Oil and Gas Development Corporation, Pakistan Telecommunication Company and the Wapda power distribution companies.

Akram Banda called for grant of house rent equal to 50 per cent of the basic pay throughout the country and repeal of the Industrial Relations Ordinance and the Banking Companies Ordinance provisions imposing restrictions on trade union activities.

Master Khudadad demanded repeal of the Removal of Service Ordinance and the Civil Servants Act provisions relating to summary dismissal of workers. He also called for legislation to impose a ban on child labour.

The conference adopted resolutions, demanding withdrawal of 200 per cent increase in pay and allowances of legislators, criticizing the purchase of new cars for them, bringing of labour laws in conformity with the International Labour Organization Conventions, and solution to the problems being faced by the workers.