FAISALABAD, July 9: Five major labour bodies have announced to stage rallies and demonstration from July 18 to protest the increase in duty hours, legal cover for contractual system and abolition of overtime.

At a joint meeting of the Labour Federation Faisalabad, Muthidda Labour Mahaz, Powerlooms Workers Federation, Bhatta Mazdoor Mahaz and Faisalabad Workers Union, labour leaders Muhammad Aslam Wafa, Abdul Qayyum, Syed Muhammad Haneef, Arshad Aziz and others said the government had violated all agreements and the International Labour Organisation conventions by amending labour laws through the Finance Bill. They said the ways and means adopted by the rulers to amend these laws were not only against the international rules, but also a clear violation of the domestic procedures.

They said the industrial workers had been facing serious financial problems due to price hike and low wages, but the government, instead of providing them a relief, increased their duty hours and banned the payment for overtime.