Trade Union leaders at Labor Conference Decry Sindh Govt.’s Inaction on Minimum Wages, Threaten Protest
- Workers’ sit-in protest will be staged in front of the Sindh Assembly building
Karachi, Sindh
The trade union leaders at a labor conference in Karachi on Sunday September 22, 2024, deplored that Sindh has failed to notify minimum wages for the workers, and warned of launching the protest movement.
The National Trade Union Federation Pakistan (NTUF) and the Home-Based Women Workers Federation Pakistan (HBWWF) jointly organized the “Labor Conference” at a local auditorium, attended by a large number of workers including women workers and leaders from labor and human rights organizations.
The conference witnessed strong condemnation from labor leaders against the Sindh government’s anti-labor stance. They pointed out that despite the passage of three months, the Sindh government had failed to issue the official notification for the minimum wage, affecting millions of workers and their families. They criticized officials from the Labor Department, who, rather than addressing the pressing issues, had been busy with foreign trips.
Labor representatives highlighted that the federal government and other three provincial governments had already issued notifications and begun implementing the announced minimum wages. However, the Sindh government, despite its claims of being pro-people, had neglected the basic rights of workers without any justification.
Workers representatives raised serious concerns about the inhumane treatment of workers in Sindh, with labor laws being openly violated in factories and industries. The Labor Department was accused of being a mere silent spectator in the face of widespread injustices, including unjust dismissals, routine harassment of female workers, forced labor for extended hours, non-payment of minimum wages, and the non-registration of workers with social security and pension institutions.
Read: Labor Representatives Reject ILO’s Sindh Labor Code Proposal
They also criticized the Sindh Labor Department for attempting to impose the “Sindh Labor Code,” which they claimed would legitimize the illegal third-party contract (Thekadari) system.
Labor leaders appealed to Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to immediately take notice of the anti-labor stance of the Sindh government, particularly the Ministry of Labor, to address the growing unrest among workers.
They expressed serious concerns over the rise of religious extremism, particularly in Sindh. They called upon the working class to rise above religious, linguistic, and sectarian differences and to unite under a shared class identity to combat all forms of exploitation. The call for unity came amidst growing concerns about the government’s failure to protect workers’ rights and the increasing challenges faced by the working class across the province.
The labor leaders presented the following demands: Immediate issuance of the official notification for minimum wages; concrete measures to end the illegal contract system; immediate withdrawal of the proposed Sindh Labor Code; disciplinary action against Labor Department officials involved in turning the anti-labor document into law; registration of all workers with social security and pension institutions.
The conference declared that if the minimum wage notification is not issued within a week and no concrete measures are taken to resolve these pressing issues, a “Mazdoor dharna” (workers’ sit-in protest) will be staged in front of the Sindh Assembly.
Those who addressed the conference includes Nasir Mansoor, General Secretary National Trade Union Federation Pakistan (NTUF) Habibuddin Junadi, president People’s Labor Bureau Rahab Ali, general Secretary Mehran Labor Federation, Mukhtiar Awan, president Muthida Labor Federation, Zahra Khan, General Secretary Home Based Women Workers Federation ( HBWWF), Khalid Khan, President National Labor Federation (NLF), Rafiq Baloch, president NTUF, Qazi Khizr, Vice Chairperson HRCP Sindh, Riaz Abbasi, SITE labour Forum Gul Rehman, Shahri Awami Mahaz, Saira Feroz, HBWWF, Aqib Hussain, organizer Alternate, Iqbal Abro, Himat Phulpoto of Textile and garment General Workers Union. (PR)
Read: Labor Day Rally Demands Living Wage for Workers in Pakistan
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