KARACHI, April 2: A meeting of workers has announced that a protest day would be observed on May 1, to press the government to make its labour laws in conformity with ILO conventions signed by the country.

The day-long meeting — National Delegates Conference — of Pakistan Workers Confederation, was attended by a large number of representatives of various federations and unions of workers at the KPT Labour Hall, on Tuesday.

They demanded that a quota of seats be reserved for peasants, workers, professionals and intellectuals in the parliament — national and provincial assemblies and senate — so that they could guide the politicians in formulating policies.

The meeting further demanded that a ban on trade union activities be lifted from all the organizations — including KESC, PIA, railways, etc — so that the basic rights of the workers of these organizations can be restored.

They demanded that the sacking of workers under the garb of right-sizing, downsizing, etc, be stopped.

They demanded that Section 27(B) of the Banking Companies Ordinance be repealed and wages of semi-skilled and skilled workers be enhanced in relation with the ever-increasing inflation.

Other demands included restoration of withdrawn facilities such as grant of selection grade, move-over commutation of pension of government and semi-government staff, establishment of National Safety and Health Council for prevention of accidents and occupational diseases of workers, implementation of 7th Wage Board Award for working journalists, etc.

They suggested that national utilities-providing companies such as WAPDA, railways, telecommunications sector, oil and gas companies should not be privatized in the public interest.

They demanded that equal facilities of health, education and opportunities of employment be provided to all, and vocational training be provided to the youth so that they are able to cope with the ever-increasing competition.

They urged the government not to take dictates from international monetary agencies, due to which the national economy has gone down the drain. It was also advised to formulate its own economic policies and facilitate the re-start of closed- down industrial units, so that the national economy can get strengthened and the condition of workers associated with these industries can improve. Landless peasants should also be given land, they added.

S.P. Lodhi, Nabi Ahmad, Kaneez Fatima, Farid Awan, Saleem Raza, Mohammad Ali Memon, Gul Rehman, Jalil Shah and others also spoke at the meeting that was attended by representatives of unions working in WAPDA, railways, telecommunications, banks and transport, mining, construction, oil and gas sectors, etc.