ISLAMABAD, Nov 2: The government on Friday unfolded the new labour policy, which envisages restructuring of the labour ministry, provincial labour inspection services, labour-judicial system and provincial minimum wage board councils.

Speaking at a thinly-attended news conference, Labour Minister Omar Asghar Khan elicited feedback on the policy from the trade unions, employers and the people in general so that the policy could be formally implemented by the year end.

Referring to the labour policy 2001, he said, over the last two years the government had initiated a labour reforms programme with emphasis on quality and standardization. “With the focus being on institutional and legislative reforms, as well as on improving the industrial-related environments, these reforms have come about through wide-ranging consultations between all stake holders”, the minister said.

He expressed his optimism that the consultative process, adopted for instituting the labour reforms, would ensure that all the three social partners — workers, employers and the government — would share the responsibility of implementing the reforms in letter and spirit across different sectors of the society.

The minister said the provincial governments were being asked to restructure their labour inspection services to ensure strict implementation of labour laws.

Similarly, he said, the ministry was being restructured to meet the emerging challenges of globalization, extending coverage of labour laws and welfare measures to different sectors of the economy, implementing ILO standards and encourage human resource development.

The minimum wage councils at the centre have also been activated and the provincial minimum wage boards would be strengthened, he maintained.

He said labour laws have been simplified on the recommendations of the tripartite labour conference held in July, 2001. “There will be six new laws, which will replace the existing plethora of labour enactments”’ he remarked.

As far as the reformation of labour judiciary, he said, the labour judiciary was being revamped to make it efficient in the dispensation of justice. The labour appellate tribunals would be abolished and the labour courts would be upgraded, he stressed.

“Labour courts shall be vested with the power/authority to hear cases of delayed payments of wages and other legal dues and arbitration shall be made compulsory in case of industrial dispute in a public sector organization,” he said.

Improvement in labour welfare was the cornerstone of the new labour policy, he said adding that a package of reforms was announced on April 30, 2001 in which 100 per cent increase was recommended in compensation in case of death or permanent disability of a workman. The compensation payment under the Wage Act was also enhanced, the minister said.

He said minimum wage of unskilled worker has been fixed at Rs2500 per month and an estimated 6.0 million workers and their dependents would benefit from these measures.

The minister said that a national tripartite safety and health council would be established to oversee working environment, especially the working conditions in the mining sector. The government has decided to update safety and health legislation and extend its scope to all work places, Mr Omar said.

Worker’s right of association and forming union, he said, would be protected in line with the constitutional and legal provisions. “Healthy trade unionism is essential for stable and sound industrial activities,” he emphasized.

The labour minister said his ministry had been trying to ensure prompt implementation of the labour laws and it would continue its endeavour through a tripartite supervisory and monitory system, down to district/local level.

Other objectives of the policy include implementation of ILO’s core labour laws; industrial peace through social dialogue; promotion of bilateralism; human resource development; human resource development; universal social protection; fair and just wage system, its linkage with productivity; promotion of dignity of labour; coverage of workers on the informal/agriculture sector and research and strengthening training and educational activities.