‘No democratic movement without vibrant labour movement’

At its national conference on the right to dignity of labour and decent work for all, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) observed that the backbone of any true democratic movement is a strong labour movement that advocates for social protection, fair wages without discrimination, the right to collective bargaining and humane working conditions.

The conference was held at the Arts Council of Pakistan on Sunday.

A panel of academics and researchers, including Umair Rasheed, Dr Fahd Ali, Taha Kehar, Zeeshan Noel, Noor-e-Muzamil and Muhammad Rafique, presented their findings based on fieldwork examining the labour rights situation of fisherfolk, textile workers, sanitation workers, miners and agricultural workers.

These studies, which also seek to reconceptualise labour and labour rights in Pakistan, were being released as part of the HRCP’s Shakeel Pathan Labour Studies Series, named for a former staff member and veteran labour rights activist, announced Director Farah Zia.

Speaking on the right to decent work, Karamat Ali, the executive director of the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education & Research, said that a mechanism to enforce fair wages is necessary.

Sabhagi Bheel, the vice president of the Agricultural General Workers Union (Sindh), noted that female agricultural workers continue to be paid significantly less than their male counterparts.

Referring to fisherfolk as among the most marginalised labour groups, Saeed Baloch, the general secretary of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, strongly advocated that they be granted pensions in their old age.

Asif Khattak, the general secretary of the Sindh Coal Mines, drew attention to the frequency of mining accidents, and inadequate grants in cases of injury and death.

Akram Bonda, the joint secretary of the All Pakistan Workers Federation, said that it is important to address the anomalies created after the devolution of labour with respect to the trans-provincial labour issues.

Hanif Ramay, the general secretary of the Muttahida Labour Federation, recommended that the Workers Welfare Fund, social security institutions and the Employees Old-age Benefits Institution be made independent of the government.

Zehra Khan, the general secretary of the Home-Based Women Workers Federation, and Bushra Arrain of the Lady Health Workers Union traced the history of their respective unions and explained how this had accorded greater dignity of labour to their communities.

Mir Zulfiqar Ali, the executive director of the Workers Education & Research Organisation, said that measures to report and address sexual harassment at the workplace are necessary to make work sites safer for women.

HRCP Co-chair Asad Iqbal Butt said that the system of contracting labour has hampered the workers movement in Pakistan. Veteran journalist and HRCP Treasurer Husain Naqi underscored the need for workers to organise themselves effectively to secure their rights.

HRCP Sindh Vice Chair Qazi Khizer Habib gave a vote of thanks to all the speakers and participants. HRCP General Secretary Harris Khalique concluded the conference by presenting a charter of demands that was approved by all the participants.

The resolution stated that all forms of labour must be honoured as dignified work, and that labour relations and the right to collective bargaining should be free of barriers around religion, caste, gender and ethnicity.

Moreover, the resolution called for social welfare and protection to be seen as a universal citizenship-based entitlement, while all the workers should be entitled to a living wage based on a decent and dignified life.