LAHORE, July 17: Industrial workers observed black day on Wednesday on the call given by the All-Pakistan Trade Unions Federation to highlight their plight at the hands of employers and the government’s failure to solve their economic problems.

They hoisted black flags atop their work places, wore black armbands and organized gate meetings which were addressed, among others, by the APTUF’s local and central leaders.

Speakers criticized the government’s economic policies which, they said, were not only unrealistic but also detrimental to the interests of the common man.

They criticized restrictions imposed on trade union activities in certain organizations and violation of labour laws by some industrial managements.

They were also critical of the government’s move to denationalize educational institutions.

The APTUF leaders said the workers suffered from inadequacy in their wages, long working hours, lack of social security and other facilities and the rising prices of essential items of daily use.

They criticized the government for working on the dictates of the IMF and the World Bank.

The resolutions adopted at the meetings called for fixing minimum wages at Rs7,000 per month, setting up of tripartite teams comprising representatives of employers, employees and the government to monitor the enforcement of labour laws in all industrial units, bringing the agricultural workers under the purview of labour laws, taking immediate measures for re-activating the closed industrial units with a view to solving the unemployment problem in the country, ensuring protection to women against societal and domestic violence and appointing women labour inspectors in the factories having a large number of women workers. —Reporter