Islamabad (NEWS REPORTER )
May Day is a day of renewal of commitment. Chicago workers made history by sacrificing their lives to set working hours. Workers are the backbone of any country’s economy. Due to the lack of implementation of labour laws and International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions in Pakistan, workers are still suffering from severe anxiety.
Even in this era of inflation, the minimum wage of the laborer is far below the daily necessities of life. These views were expressed by Pakistan Workers Federation General Secretary and CDA Mazdoor Union Leader Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin, President Shaukat Ali Anjum, Chairman Abdul Rehman Aasi, Deputy General Secretary Asad Mahmood, Muhammad Sarfaraz Malik, Asad-ur-Rehman Aasi, Ishtiaq virk, Azam Faqir, Hidayatullah Khan, Abdul Razzaq Memon, Sana-ul-Haq and other labour leaders in a joint statement on the occasion of May Day.
He said that the Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF) is the largest representative organization of workers in Pakistan and we believe in solving the problems of workers across Pakistan through negotiations. We will continue to raise the voice of workers’ rights at the national and international levels. He said that the number of formal and informal workers in Pakistan is more than 60 million, but unfortunately, labour laws apply to only 9 million workers, and the remaining workers, including domestic workers, agricultural workers, street workers, home-based workers and workers in other sectors, do not have legal protection, which is causing them to be exploited. Due to the lack of implementation of labour laws, millions of workers are deprived of facilities and benefits. He said that the Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF) has played a positive role in organizing informal workers and providing legal protection to them, in collaboration with the International Labor Organization (ILO) and other organizations. Despite the ratification of the Constitution of Pakistan, the Industrial Relations Act and the conventions of the International Labour Organization, only 03 percent of workers in Pakistan have the freedom to form trade unions. On this occasion, he said that we want to promote tripartite dialogue, we want to solve the problems of workers through negotiations with the government and employer organizations.
The National Industrial Relations Commission has won the hearts of the workers by organizing a tripartite labour conference for the first time in history. The holding of this tripartite labour conference will, God willing, promote social dialogue and industrial harmony. He demanded on May Day from the current democratic Prime Minister, the Provincial Chief Minister, the Secretary Human Resource Development and Overseas Pakistanis, the Provincial Secretaries for Labour and related institutions to protect the rights of workers. Freedom of trade unions, collective bargaining, elimination of child labour and forced labour, and implementation of labour laws for decent employment should be ensured along with legislation on priority basis. Minimum wage should be fixed according to daily necessities of life and minimum wage boards should be made active as well as real representation of workers should be ensured. For the past several years, dues are not being paid to workers due to the lack of interest of EOBI, social security and workers welfare institutions, due to which industrial workers are suffering from severe anxiety.
He demanded from the Prime Minister of Pakistan to immediately convene a tripartite labor conference so that the problems of workers can be resolved, along with this, domestic workers, home-based workers, mine workers, agricultural workers, and street workers should be brought under the ambit of social security. Finally, he said that we hope that in this democratic government, the problems of workers will be resolved on priority basis. In this regard, the Pakistan Workers Federation assures all possible cooperation.
