KARACHI, April 6: Labour leaders have urged the newly-elected legislators to make all labour laws in conformity with the eight core conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) signed and ratified by the country.
Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Sunday, Karamat Ali of the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research said all workers be allowed to form unions to protect their rights without any discrimination.
He said whenever the government was to make a policy it issued a long list of organisations, whose workers were not allowed to carry out trade union activities.
He said even in the labour laws formulated by the colonial rulers in 1926, which continued to be practised after the partition till 1959, except the uniformed army personnel workers of any organisation had the right to form unions. Those laws were first changed by military dictator Ayub Khan, who banned union activities in various organisations.
The list of such organisations has been rising since then, he added.
He demanded restoration of the Trade Unions Act 1926 that provided freedom of association and formation of trade unions in all sectors.
Farid Awan of the All-Pakistan Trade Union Federation stressed that draconian laws like the Removal from Services Ordinance 2002; 27-B of the Banking Companies Ordinance; 2-A of the Civil Servants Act 1973 etc be repealed.
Appreciating the move for fixing the minimum wages for unskilled workers at Rs6,000 a month, he demanded enforcement of the policy in letter and spirit. Besides, he said, minimum wages for unskilled workers should also be announced.
Liaquat Sahi of the State Bank Workers Union demanded establishment of a central institution and registration of all workers, including those employed in informal sector, to ensure protection of their rights. He also sought welfare facilities like old age benefits, pensions, medical etc facilities for all workers without any discrimination.
Shaikh Majeed of the People’s Labour Bureau demanded that a conference with representation of workers, employers and the government be organised to get its recommendations for formulation of labour laws.
He demanded that labour minister be included in the cabinet’s economic coordination committee so that workers rights could be protected.
Mohammad Ali Shah of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum expressed concern over the minister’s announcement about the continuity of privatisation policy, saying that a through probe into the privatised assets be conducted first.
Labour leader Ghulam Mahboob demanded Seventh Wage Board Award be implemented immediately.