ISLAMABAD, Feb 4: The People’s Rights Movement (PRM) has announced support for the strike of caddies and ballboys at the Islamabad Golf Club.

Numbering about 300, the caddies and ballboys, mostly of schoolgoing age, refused to work since February 1, when the management of the club instituted new rules for payment.

Under the new rules, the caddies and ballboys will receive a fixed payment of Rs50 and Rs10 for nine holes, and Rs100 and Rs20 for 18 holes, respectively. The management has prohibited extra cash payment beyond these rates.

The caddies and ballboys maintained that under the new system, they would earn considerably less per day, compared to what they had been earning before. Therefore, they have been sitting outside the club premises for the past three days, and have presented a list of demands to the management, mainly for abolition of the fixed-payment system.

The management of the club has refused to acknowledge the demands of the ballboys and caddies, despite the fact that some members have voiced timid support. Till now, the gardeners who maintain the course, have been filling in for the caddies.

The PRM views this action of the Islamabad Club management as unjust and without regard for the welfare of the caddies and ballboys, who have no alternative source of income, and many of whom are the sole bread-earners in their families.

This action is similar to the transformation which many sectors are undergoing, whereby a general process of corporatization is taking place. Agriculture, education, health, fisheries, and numerous other sectors are being transformed in similar ways where the worker is the loser.

The caddies and ballboys intend to start a hunger strike on Wednesday if their demands continue to be ignored. The PRM also condemned the police for harassing the caddies and ballboys as they sat outside the club.

The PRM called for providing immediate relief to the ballboys and caddies. It also asked the club management to hire them as permanent employees.